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SP30055: Comparative industrial relations

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2012/3
Follow this link for further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Social & Policy Sciences
Follow this link for further information on credits Credits: 6
Follow this link for further information on unit levels Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Follow this link for further information on period slots Period: Semester 2
Follow this link for further information on unit assessment Assessment: ES 70%, OR 30%
Follow this link for further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Follow this link for further information on unit rules Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take SP10043 and while taking this unit you must take SP20047 and take SP20048
Follow this link for further information on unit content Description: Aims:
The aims of the unit are to:
i. provide students with a critical understanding of theoretical and empirical issues of industrial relations in a comparative and historical perspective;
ii. reflect critically on the main transformations in industrial relations in advanced capitalist countries and in different historical periods as a result of wider processes of economic, political and social transformation;
iii. developed a comparative skill looking for similarities as well as differences in the case studies;
iv. promote participation and the involvement of students in a deeper awareness of their own approaches to the issues addressed during the unit, in order to see themselves as a part of the intellectual and institutional developments they are studying and not simply observers of processes that do not directly affect them.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the unit the students should be able to:
i. identify the major transformations in the relations between unions, employers and the state in different capitalist countries;
ii. find similarities as well as differences in structure, modes of action, bargaining systems, ideologies;
iii. assess their relative strengths and weaknesses in focusing particularly on relations between unions, employers and the state;
iv. grasp the political and economic transformations which led to major changes in industrial relations in the countries under examination;
v. critically assess the major approaches and debates which aimed to grasp the transformation of industrial relations in those countries, in their historical context of production.
Knowledge outcomes : Soc/HRM -
* Theoretical basis of sociological perspectives;
* Knowledge of the current developments in practice and research in a European and world context.

Skills:
Intellectual skills:
* To think creatively and analytically;
* To communicate an argument;
* To evaluate others' arguments and research;
* To critically evaluate and assess research and evidence as well as a variety of other information;
* To select appropriate and relevant information from a wide source and large body of knowledge;
* To synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding.
Transferable/Key skills:
* To develop inter-personal and communication skills;
* To develop essay research, preparation and writing skills;
* To construct a bibliography of varying complexity;
* To develop presentation skills and verbal communication (i.e. oral presentations, seminar and tutorial contributions).

Content:
This unit examines theoretical and empirical issues of industrial relations in a comparative and historical context. It will search for similarities as well as differences in structure, modes of action, bargaining systems, ideologies in 6 different countries (mostly form Europe but also from Latin America and Eastern Europe). The unit will focus on four periods:
1. the 'post-war' settlement' - the set of institutions and relations that was consolidated in all countries in the years immediately following World War II;
2. the long boom associated with 'the golden age of capitalism' and which culminated (especially in Europe) in a major wave of industrial militancy and conflict in the years 1968-74;
3. the period post-1974 when economic problems, the return of mass unemployment and in a number of countries governments overtly hostile to trade unions have created 'lean times' for unions in many countries;
4. The present time associated to globalisation and the post-modern and post-fordist era.
Follow this link for further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

SP30055 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB11 : BSc (hons) Sociology with Human Resource Management (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHSP-AKB11 : BSc (hons) Sociology with Human Resource Management (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4

SP30055 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AYB13 : BA (hons) French and Politics (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AYB12 : BA (hons) German and Politics (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AYB16 : BA (hons) Italian (ab initio) and Politics (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AYB14 : BA (hons) Italian and Politics (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AYB15 : BA (hons) Russian (ab initio) and Politics (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AYB11 : BA (hons) Russian and Politics (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AYB17 : BA (hons) Spanish and Politics (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UXXX-AYB05 : BSc (hons) International Management and Modern Languages (French) (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UXXX-AYB04 : BSc (hons) International Management and Modern Languages (German) (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UXXX-AYB06 : BSc (hons) International Management and Modern Languages (Spanish) (Full-time with Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AAB10 : BSc (hons) Politics with Economics (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AFB10 : BSc (hons) Politics with Economics (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHPL-AKB10 : BSc (hons) Politics with Economics (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AAB29 : BSc (hons) Politics with International Relations (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • UHPL-AFB29 : BSc (hons) Politics with International Relations (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHPL-AKB29 : BSc (hons) Politics with International Relations (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
Department of Psychology
  • UHPS-AKB03 : BSc (hons) Psychology (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB16 : BSc (hons) Social Policy (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHSP-AKB16 : BSc (hons) Social Policy (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UHSP-AKB01 : BSc (hons) Social Policy and Administration (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UHSP-AFB05 : BSc (hons) Social Sciences (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHSP-AKB05 : BSc (hons) Social Sciences (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UHSP-AFB04 : BSc (hons) Sociology (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHSP-AKB04 : BSc (hons) Sociology (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UHSP-AFB10 : BSc (hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UHSP-AKB10 : BSc (hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2012/13 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2013/14 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2012/13.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.