No description available.

No description available.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

A large majority of the members of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan belong to one or other of its factions, the bodies which dominate the party today. In 1987, when the fieldwork for this study was carried out, there were five factions in number. This thesis examines and analyzes the contemporary structural organization and membership of one of them, the Miki/K5moto faction, after presenting a systematic account of its history. This political grouping was investigated from the inside; as an observer, the writer was able to acquire material through direct interaction with members of the faction in their daily routine. Including the introduction and conclusion, eight chapters make up this thesis. Two of them are devoted to the history of the faction, which is chronicled by taking the career of Miki Takeo, the founder, as the central theme. One chapter is concerned with the organization of the faction, and the roles and functions of the members. The relationships among faction members and their connections with outside individuals and groups are the subjects of scrutiny for the fifth and sixth chapters respectively. Chapter seven, on finance, investigates the methods by which the faction as a group and single members of it raise and distribute money. Some of the conclusions drawn in the thesis are specific to the faction; others relate to the wider phenomenon of factionalism inside the party.

No description available.

This thesis examines trade union workplace organisation, industrial relations and the nature of power in the employment relationship in the Tyneside Maritime Construction Industry (TMCI). It explores this in a context where trade union organisation could be expected to be severely challenged, but has proved to be remarkably resilient. The analysis was constructed from the literature and empirically grounded in the data. Firstly, it draws upon the union renewal debate and examines three themes identified as being the central features of workplace unionism; the effectiveness of shop steward organisation, levels of activity in membership participation and the significance of workplace democracy. The findings support other contributions to a thesis of workplace union resilience and add a further development to the debates by presenting evidence that suggests 'resilient renewal'. Secondly, the main intellectual approach adopted were models based upon mobilisation and social movement theories. Using these approaches in a micro level analysis of industrial relations helped to break down the employment relationship and draw out some significant issues. The key issues drawn out from this analysis suggest three significant features of the TMCI employment relationship. Firstly, that the workplace union organisation is resilient, secondly, that its influence in the employment relationship is powerful, and thirdly, that it is the collective identity that exists in the industry that gives them that power.