Markets, Firms and the Management of Labour in Modern Britain (Cambridge Studies in Management, Series Number 17)

Originally published in 1992, this book examines the development of employers' human resource management and industrial relations policies in Britain. It adopts a broad historical perspective, beginning with the inheritance from the nineteenth century and ending with an analysis of human resource management policies. It focuses on how managers organise the employment relationship, how they control work relations, and how they deal with trade unions and industrial relations. The author examines these in the context of the market within which the firm operates, and the strategy, structure and hierarchy of industrial enterprise. The book shows that historically British employers tended to adopt market-based strategies rather than internal ones. This Book Examines The Development Of Employers' Human Resource Management And Industrial Relations' Policies In Britain. It Adopts A Broad Historical Perspective, Beginning With The Inheritance From The Nineteenth Century And Coming Up To Date With Modern Human Resource Management Policies. It Focuses On How Managers Organise The Employment Relationship, How They Control Work Relations, And How They Deal With Trade Unions And Industrial Relations. The Author Examines These In The Context Of The Market Within Which The Firm Operates, And The Strategy, Structure, And Hierarchy Of The Modern Industrial Enterprise, Developing A Theoretical Approach Which Emphasises The Effect Of These Factors On Management Choices. The Book Shows That Historically British Employers Tended To Adopt Market-based Strategies Rather Than Internal Ones. Despite A Post-war Trend Towards 'internalisation', Comparison With The Us, Germany And Japan Reveals That This Has Come About Only Slowly And Unevenly, And Has Not Been Able To Reverse The Relative Decline In Economic Performance And National Competitiveness.--book Jacket. 1. Introduction: The Management Of Labour -- Pt. 1. The Inheritance. 2. Markets, Firms, And The Management Of Labour In The Nineteenth Century -- Pt. 2. Continuities And Change In The First Half Of The Twentieth Century. 3. Markets, Firms, And The Organisation Of Production. 4. The Evolving Employment Relationship. 5. Employers, Unions, And Collective Bargaining -- Pt. 3. Challenges And Adjustments In The Post-war Years. 6. Markets, Firms, And The Organisation Of Production. 7. Industrial Relations: Challenges And Responses. 8. Employment Relations In The Post-war Period -- Pt. 4. Conclusions. 9. Markets, Firms, And The Management Of Labour. Howard F. Gospel. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 190-246) And Index. Frontmatter......Page 1 Contents......Page 11 Preface......Page 13 1 - Introduction: the management of labour......Page 15 Part 1 - The inheritance......Page 27 2 - Markets, firms, and the management of labour in the nineteenth century......Page 29 Part 2 - Continuities and change in the first half of the twentieth century......Page 51 3 - Markets, firms, and the organisation of production......Page 53 4 - The evolving employment relationship......Page 75 5 - Employers, unions, and collective bargaining......Page 93 Part 3 - Challenges and adjustments in the post-war years......Page 117 6 - Markets, firms, and the organisation of production......Page 119 7 - Industrial relations: challenges and responses......Page 141 8 - Employment relations in the post-war period......Page 162 Part 4 - Conclusions......Page 183 9 - Markets, firms, and the management of labour......Page 185 Notes......Page 204 Index......Page 261

In this examination of the development of employers' personnel, human resources, and industrial relations policies in Britain in the twentieth century the author focuses on how employers organize the employment relationship, control work relations, and deal with trade unions and industrial relations. He develops an approach that emphasizes the interaction of external market forces, internal management structure and organization, and strategic choices, and argues that British employers' historical adherence to market-based strategies rather than internal strategies has had negative consequences for economic performance and national competitiveness relative to the United States, Germany, and Japan.

This 1992 book examines the development of employers' personnel, human resource, and industrial relations policies in Britain in the twentieth century. It focuses on how managers organise the employment relationship, how they control work relations, and how they deal with trade unions and industrial relations.