Changing workplace relations in the Chinese economy (Studies on the Chinese Economy)

This volume attempts to look beyond the 'iron rice bowl' employment system that has typified Chinese workplace relations since the early 1950s and how Deng's economic reforms since 1978 have changed its 'jobs for life' and 'cradle to the grave' welfare arrangements. Part I covers the development of industrial relations in the PRC since 1949, the evolution of its trade unions in both state-owned and joint-venture firms and the role of state-owned enterprises as embodiments of this lifetime employment system. Part II proceeds to look at ongoing empirical research on current labour-management practices, individual and collective contracts, human resource management in joint ventures, performance-based rewards systems and changing workers' attitudes. Part III considers wider issues, such the growth of unemployment due to structural reforms, the challenges to 'socialist' workplace relations and the role of organized labour in contemporary Chinese economy and society. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 List of Tables......Page 8 List of Figures......Page 10 Preface......Page 11 Acknowledgements......Page 12 List of Abbreviations......Page 13 Notes on the Contributors......Page 14 PART I: SETTING THE SCENE......Page 16 1 Introduction: Whither the Iron Rice-Bowl?......Page 18 2 The Origins of Chinese ‘Industrial Relations’......Page 30 3 Chinese Trade Unions and Workplace Relations in State-owned and Joint-venture Enterprises......Page 49 4 The Social Role of the Chinese State Enterprise......Page 72 PART II: EMPIRICAL STUDIES......Page 90 5 In Pursuit of Flexibility: The Transformation of Labour–Management Relations in Chinese Enterprises......Page 92 6 Industrial Relations versus Human Resource Management in the PRC: Collective Bargaining ‘with Chinese Characteristics’......Page 115 7 Local or Global? Human Resource Management in International Joint Ventures in China......Page 132 8 Occupying the Managerial Workplace in Sino–foreign Joint Ventures: A Strategy for Control and Development......Page 154 9 Standardized Performance Management: A Study in JVs in China......Page 178 10 Work-Related Attitudes among Chinese Employees vis-à-vis ‘American’ and ‘Japanese’ Management Models......Page 200 11 Pay and Motivation in Chinese Enterprises......Page 220 PART III: EMERGING TRENDS......Page 240 12 Readjusting Labour: Enterprise Restructuring, Social Consequences and Policy Responses in Urban China......Page 242 13 From Client to Challenger: Workers, Managers and the State in Post-Dengist China......Page 262 14 China’s Developing Civil Society: Interest Groups, Trade Unions and Associational Pluralism......Page 278 E......Page 314 M......Page 315 S......Page 316 Z......Page 317 Changing Workplace Relations in the Chinese Economy attempts to deal with how China's economic reforms have undermined the'iron rice-bowl'system which since the 1950s has provided both'lifetime-employment'and'cradle-to-the-grave'welfare for many workers, particularly those in state-owned enterprises. It starts by examining the background of these reforms and how they have changed workplace relations in the Chinese economy; it will also look at key themes relating to the role of trade unions and the management of human resources in both state-owned and joint-venture firms; finally, a number of illustrative case-studies involving industrial relations and human resource management are set out. A set of contributors, drawn from a wide range of disciplines and nationalities who are expert in these fields, have contributed chapters to the volume. Examines the background of economic reforms and how they have changed workplace relations in the Chinese economy. Looks at key themes relating to the role of trade unions and the management of human resources in both state-owned and joint-venture firms and sets out a number of illustrative case-studies involving industrial relations and human resource management