Approaches to Industrial Relations

    

Psychological Approach Sociological Approach Human Relations Approach Gandhian Approach System Approach

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Approaches to Industrial Relations (contd.)

    

The Oxford Approach The Pluralist Approach The Marxist/Radical Approach Webers Social Action Approach Socio-Ethical Approach

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Why So Many Approaches...?



The problems posed in the field of industrial relations cannot be solved within the limits of a single discipline, and hence it is bound to be interdisciplinary in approach. Any problem in industrial relations has to be approached on a multi-disciplinary basis, drawing from the contributions of a number of disciplines by filling the gulf for bridging the gap between the workers and management.

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Psychological Approach


Problem of industrial relations lie in the perception and attitude of the participants. Study by Mason Haire on the behavior of THREE parties groups, namely,
Union leaders Executives Government

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Psychological Approach (contd.)

Results of Mason Study: a) The general impression about a person is radically different when he is seen as a representative of management from that of a person as a representative of labor.
b)

The management and labor see each other as less dependable. The management and labor see each other as inadequate in thinking regarding emotional characteristics and inter-personal relations.
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c)

Sociological Approach
This approach includes various sociological factors like

value system, customs, norms, symbols, attitude and perception of both labour and management. As industrialization gets momentum, a set of new industrial-cum-social patterns emerges. These influences shape the industrial relations. Now a days industrial relations are determined by POWER.

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Human Relations Approach

Developed by Masclow. He produced a hierarchy to understand the stages in organisation Humans are not inanimate or passive. Humans are very complex to understand.

The human relations approach highlights certain policies and techniques to improve employee morale, efficiency and job satisfaction. It encourages the small work group to exercise considerable control over its environment and in the process help to remove a major irritant in labour-management relations. The Manager shouldn't command but he has to work along with workers with Mutalism&Integration.
.

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Gandhian Approach


Truth, Non-violence, Non-possession, Non co-operation (Satyagarah), trusteeship... Workers right to strike. Concept of equality.

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Gandhian Approach (contd.)



There is no room for conflict of interests between the capitalists and the labourers.

But what IF conflicts occur...?

o

Should they go for strikes/lockouts...!

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Gandhian Approach (contd.)

Two things that Gandhiji expect from workers
i.

Awakening
o o

Nurturing faith in their moral strength Awareness of its existence

ii.

Unity

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System Approach -John Dunlop

An industrial relations system at any one time in its development is regarded as comprised of certain actors, certain contexts, an ideology, which binds the industrial relations system together, and a body of rules created to govern the actors at the workplace and work community. There are three sets of independent variables: the actors, the contexts and the ideology of the system. Actors---3 players & 4th is the Court. Context---What should be done (using principles) Ideology---Present ideas by the Government.

Here everything should be done in ORDER.

Oxford Approach
Flanders, the exponent of this approach, considers every business enterprise as a social system of production and distribution, which has a structured pattern of relationship. The institution of job regulation is categorized by him as internal and external the former being an internal part of the industrial relations system such as code of work rules, wage structure, internal procedure of joint consultation, and grievance procedure. He views trade unions as an external organization and excludes collective agreements from the sphere of internal regulation. According to him, collective bargaining is central to the industrial relations system.

r=f ( )
or

r Rules governing IR

- Collective Bargaining

r = f (e)

e- Conflict resolved

Pluralistic Approach -Kerr

Regards conflict as inevitable because employers and employees have conflicting interests.  Trade unions are seen as legitimate representatives of employee interests. If jobs are pleasant then no strikes  Sees stability in industrial relations as the product of concessions and compromises between management and unions-Collective Bargaining.

Radical or Marxist Approach - Karl Marx



Marxists, like the pluralists, regard conflict between management and employees as inevitable. Sees industrial conflict as an aspect of class conflict. He premised the power relationship between Capital & Labour and the struggle of each party for SUPREMACY.

Weber Social Action Approach

Weberian approach gives the theoretical and operational importance to CONTROL as well as to the Power struggle to control work organizations a power struggle in which all the actors in the industrial relations drama are caught up.

Socio-Ethical Approach or Joint Consultative Approach

V.V.Giri (former president of India - 24 August 1969 to 23 August 1974) advocated his Giri Approach in terms of voluntary negotiations and collective bargaining in a tripartite relationship. The movement towards a non-legal industrial relations system was a new trend. He proclaimed that industrial adjudication was labor's enemy No. 1. ' The shortlived tenure of Shri Giri ushered in new spirit in the field of industrial relations Moral Understanding& Morality should be there between the players. Some of the other approaches by Mr.Giri and his team BE FIRM - BUT FAIR BE TUFF - BUT TENDER BE HARM - BUT HUMAN