Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 1947. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-125). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

M.Phil. / Prior to the political transformation process, the labour relation's environment in the automotive industry, and in particular Nissan S.A. (the research organisation), was conflicting and disruptive. This resulted in an unstable working environment that affected future business performance and market opportunities. During this period, Nissan S.A. also became part of the global 'village' that requires, amongst others, stable labour relations and a co-operative approach towards union and management matters. This was critical for business survival and future investment from global partners. In order to achieve the above, a union I management development programme was put in place in conjunction with several role-players, that included the contribution of union representatives. The programme largely dealt with the understanding of different management and union roles and functions within the workplace. It furthermore equipped union and management representatives with critical skills and competencies, necessary to deal with conflicting issues that affected performance. The programme outcome was positive and it created the foundation for the organisation to remain competitive. The disruptive and conflicting labour relation's environment stabilised and better working relationships between management and the union followed. Since the implementation of the programme, new challenges emerged. Locally, political ownership changed 'hands'. Many union representatives were taken up into political leadership positions that affected union and representative capacities in terms of resources and competencies. Newly elected union representatives (and union members) questioned the role and function of unions, especially considering the fact that political 'victories' were no longer required at shopfloor level. Global competitiveness (and locally) affected employment security. The business, through operational requirements, dramatically reduced the workforce that affected relationships with the union and members. Globalisation required different operations, skills and 'thinking'. These changes justify a critical evaluation of the new role and function of union representatives to better cope with modern business challenges. This is critical for future survival and growth as uncertainties could affect the stability of the organisation. An understanding of changes and the empowerment of union representatives to deal with changes and challenges have proven to be successful for the organisation in the past. This study has also proven that parties need to understand and work towards a 'common interest' realisation. As a result, the following was appraised: • To explore and describe how union representatives perceive their role and function within a changing business environment. • To describe guidelines as a framework for the empowerment of the role and function of union representatives. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed. The data was gathered by means of two focus group interviews, which included the selection and participation of permanent union representatives. The raw data was analysed using the descriptive method of open coding. Two independent coders analysed the data with the researcher. A literature control study was done to recontextualise data. Based on the results of the research, guidelines were formulated. The results of the study indicate that union representatives recognise 'the changing world of work' and that modern business challenges require different thinking and operating methods. These changes and challenges affect the traditional role and functions of union representatives. As a result, it necessitates the performance of different roles and functions, in addition to the traditional ones. The research results indicate the need for change to a more participative management style that would be a requirement for the intervention and development of a comprehensive programme that would empower union representatives to better cope with modern business challenges. The research confirms the common realisation thinking. The research results further indicate that the empowerment of union representatives is a requirement to be effective in dealing with modern business challenges. A further need is the necessity for organisational culture change and change management.

D. Litt. et Phil. (Human Resources) / Labour relations in South Africa is characterized by instability and is intensified by the negative influence of the external environment. Against this background the strategic management of labour relations was investigated as a possible means to positively influence labour relations in South Africa. A model for the strategic management of labour relations was developed and it was concluded that it is essential that the mentioned model be followed in South Africa. A detail theoretical and empirical analysis was done to determine the extent of the influence of the economy, politics, the social environment, trade unions, employer organizations, the juridical environment and personnel related aspects and practices on labour relations. The empirical data were gathered by means of a structured questionnaire from respondents working in the personnel field. The main findings of the study indicated that the external environment will have a profound effect on labour relations in near future. Unemployment, population growth, housing, the right and left wing political parties and inflation were identified as the aspects which will probably have the most negative influence on labour relations in the future. Various personnel management aspects and practices were identified which might have a positive influence on labour relations: communication, training, labour relations training, equal opportunities, social responsibility, participative schemes and induction. One of the main conclusions of this study was that the extent of the influence of the external and internal environment continuously be monitored by companies and that a strategic plan for the managing of labour relations be developed.

This is a study of the occurrence of loyalty within a formal organization. It does not purport to be an analysis of all forms of loyalty but rather it seeks to reveal a particular type of loyalty within a hierarchical organization. Putting it more sharply, this thesis investigates the occurrence of subordinate loyalty toward a superior. The object of the study was twofold: (1) to investigate the acceptability of the definition of loyalty within a theoretical scheme as proposed by Blau and Scott in their recent book Formal Organizations and (2) to attempt to isolate and investigate those conditions and factors which may be related to felt subordinate loyalty toward a superior. The method of investigation took the form of distributing a mail questionnaire to the employees of one of the divisions within a publicly owned electrical utility. The replies to the questionnaire were tabulated and are presented in the body of the thesis. The general conclusions reached were as follows: 1. The Blau and Scott definition of loyalty seems to be too narrow. 2. Superiors who command the felt loyalty of their subordinates are more likely than others to establish effective informal authority over them and thus to influence them. 3. The more that a superior perceives himself as maintaining emotional detachment, the greater is the felt loyalty of his subordinates. 4. A supervisor who is consistent in his enforcement of the working rules and practises will be more likely to gain the loyalty of his subordinates. The following hypotheses were not statistically supported. 1. The more independent a supervisor is from his superior, the more likely it is that he will have loyal subordinates. 2. Loyalty to superiors in a hierarchical organization tends to be pronounced on alternate levels. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

Includes bibliography. / The aim and intention of this thesis is to critically describe the theoretical and practical applications of labour relations practices in the public sector internationally and in South African local authorities. In particular, this objective involves a description of the following key themes: A background to labour relations theory, the role of parties to the labour relationship, the premises of labour relations, the causes of labour conflict, the processes of dispute resolution and settlement, and applied dispute settlement approaches. A literature survey highlights the key concepts and principle labour conflict resolution measures applied internationally. In South Africa the above-noted labour relations themes are examined by means of a standardised-schedule delphi questionnaire which addresses the approaches adopted and related concerns of all Grade 10-15 local authorities (as in 1992). This thesis highlights the desire to institutionalise labour conflict in. the organisation as a dynamic management concern. Findings indicate that in the public sector internationally labour relations are complicated by a number of unique environments, notably, the political, social, economic, legislative and the organisational environments, within which the organisation must function. Subsequently, applied practices are characterised by restrictive measures which limit the scope of fundamental labour rights, especially the right to associate, the right to bargain and the right to strike. In this context, it is submitted that the use of power-driven processes, as commonly employed by public sector organisations, fail to institutionalise labour conflict effectively. This finding is based on the evidence of increasing labour disputes in this sector since the 1960's.

No description available.

No description available.

Data of this study were collected from 239 supervisor-subordinate dyads working in a foreign-invested enterprise in China. Structural equation modeling and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were employed to test the hypotheses. Results showed that procedural justice, informational justice, and distributive justice contributed positively to POS. POS was positively related to social exchange, and negatively related to economic exchange. Furthermore, both social exchange and economic exchange acted as the mediators on the relationship between POS with affective commitment, but not on the relationship between POS with in-role performance and organizational citizenship behavior. Discussions are made on the study's findings as well as its theoretical and practical implications. Limitations of the study and future research directions are also suggested. / Past research on employee-organization exchange relationships mostly used perceived organizational support (POS) to represent social exchange relationship. Such approach confuses the conceptual meanings of POS and social exchange, and excludes economic exchange in the analysis of employment relationships. The roles of POS, social exchange, and economic exchange have not been properly specified and examined in a conceptual model. In addition, research on POS focuses on procedural justice and hence neglects the roles of other types of justice perceptions (e.g., distributive justice and informational justice) as antecedents of employees' outcomes. This limits our full understanding of the determinants, process, and consequences of exchange relationships between employees and their organization. To fill the above research voids, this study develops a comprehensive model to examine the relationships among organizational justice, POS, social and economic exchanges, and three major employees' outcomes (i.e., affective commitment, in-role performance, and organizational citizenship behavior). In view of the unique characteristics and dynamic changes in employment relationships, China has been chosen as the research site. / Loi Chi Ho. / "August 2006." / Adviser: Hang-Yue Ngo. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-02, Section: A, page: 0639. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 142-156). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

For thesis abstract select View Thesis Title, Contents and Abstract

"November 2003" / Bibliography: leaves 354-383. / 385 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / "This thesis investigates South African industrial relations through a case study of the implementation of a pilot dock labour Scheme in the port of Durban (between 1994-2001) which was part of the Transport and General Workers Union's (TGWU) proposed National Dock Labour Scheme (NDLS). The case study is selected to examine dock workers in the port of Durban, Africa's largest container port." -- SYNOPSIS / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, School of Social Sciences, Discipline of Labour Studies and Dept. of Social Inquiry, 2004