International and Comparative Employment Relations

`Undergraduates, MBAs and professionals will find much that is of use in its pages. Although an edited book, the readability is consistent throughout. It will be a standard work for years to come' - Journal of General Management

`This highly readable book is an invaluable resource for students, practitioners and policymakers as they confront the challenges of globalization and of the information age' - Professor Janice Bellace, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

`The employment relations of any one country can no longer be studied in isolation, and this splendid book is the best available means of placing national institutions and practices in an international perspective' - Professor William Brown, Department of Applied Economics, University of Cambridge

`Teachers and students will welcome the new edition of this established text whose integrated approach assists the understanding of national employment contexts as a basis for furthering the theoretical development of international and comparative industrial relations' - Professor Linda Dickens, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

`The Fourth Edition of International and Comparative Employment Relations continues to set the standards for learning about this subject' - Professor Thomas A Kochan, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

How is globalization impacting on employment relations? Which are the most appropriate theories for explaining such impacts? What is the context for human resource management in other countries? What can we learn from the experiences of other countries? Which are the major issues in employment relations in the world's leading economies?

One of the main reasons for studying the experiences of other societies is to gain a better insight into your own country and practices. In this important new edition, experts from ten countries analyze employment relations in their countries, including the characteristics of the major groups and parties concerned, and the nature and types of bargaining and power relationships.

Earlier editions of this book became the standard text for a worldwide readership of students and specialists. It was widely recommended on courses and used by governments, companies and unions around the world. This new edition has been completely revised and is being translated into several other languages. Comparative chapters examine globalization, trends and theories across developed market economies and an appendix provides valuable comparative economic and labour-market data. It also includes useful www references and is supported by a web site, which you can access by clicking on the companion website logo link above.

Each country is analyzed according to a similar format, with an examination of the environment of employment relations-economic, historical, legal, social and political-and the major `players'; employers, unions and governments. Then follow descriptions of the main processes of employment relations, such as local and centralized collective bargaining, arbitration and mediation, joint consultation and employee participation. Important and topical issues are discussed, such as: non-unionised workplaces, novel forms of human resource management, labour law reform, employee involvement, multinational enterprises, differences between Asian and western companies, small and medium sized enterprises, migrant workers, technological change, labour market flexibility and pay determination. These issues are important in most countries and valuable lessons can be learnt from the experiences of others.

This book is essential reading for practitioners and students of industrial relations and human resource management at graduate and undergraduate level, for specialists in international business and economics, and for practitioners in governments, employers and unions.

On-line resources for those who use this book are available by clicking on the 'companion website' logo above.