Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Business ethics Industrial relations'

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- La Trobe University, 2004.
Research. "A thesis submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Business, Faculty of Law and Management, La Trobe University". Includes bibliographical references (leaves 223-244). Also available via the World Wide Web.

This research falls within the field of normative business ethics. Its aim is to examine the moral nature of the employment relationship in western democracies by examining the liberal, democratic justifications that are normally advanced for its probity. Its concern is to challenge the notion that the employment relationship is in conformity with these liberal democratic values. Thus, the research is an exercise in the examination of the application of the liberal, democratic tradition to the social institution of employment. Thus research examines areas of dissonance between the political relationship of employee � employer and the dominant values of the liberal tradition found elsewhere in western democracies. The research firstly identifies the key moral characteristics of the employment relationship in private, capitalist organisations. This is derived from a consideration of the development historically, of the employment relationship, with acknowledgement of the combined influences of statute, common law, contract law and custom in forming the current employee relationship. Secondly, the research identifies the justificatory arguments from the liberal tradition that are normally advanced in support of the employment relationship�s moral probity. These include notions of rights deriving from private property, the separation of social life into public and private spheres and the application of contract law to employment. Thirdly, the research examines these arguments for their moral probity. Specifically, this involves an examination of the arguments regarding the private property status of employing organisations, the application of contract law to employment, the moral characteristics of the master and servant relationship as a basis for employment and the relevance of democratic values within employment. As an additional perspective, the literature on human needs is reviewed as a source, outside of the liberal tradition, for a basis upon which to outline the moral requirements of human relationships to work.

The purpose of this study was to look at the relationships between moral philosophy classification and elements of risk, which in turn effect overall decision-making processes. Specifically, two moral philosophy classification were examined: utilitarian and egoism.

The U.S. workforce is not prepared for the demands of today's workplace (Conference Board, 2006), Previously, workplace employers emphasized environments where the main thrust was expertise in technical skills of employees. However, a shift occurred that caused employers to realize the importance of soft skills in order to maximize business relationships. One major soft skill emphasized is the importance of a positive work ethic, which is a necessary attribute for any successful worker (R. Hill, 1996). Not only has there been a shift regarding the importance and implementation of soft skills in the business environment, but employers who once relied heavily upon adults as employees also now rely upon adolescents as employees. These adolescents are expected to provide the same positive work ethic as adults. Some of these adolescent employees are students in a co-op program in their local high schools where they obtain training in work ethic. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the perception of employers and supervisors regarding the work ethic of employed high school co-op and employed high school non-co-op students. Work ethic descriptors within this study that were examined included interpersonal skills, initiative, and dependability. The descriptors mentioned were statistically examined to ascertain differences in employer/supervisor perceptions among the two groups of students.

This work addresses to what extent businesses in the United States and the European Union have a moral obligation to participate in social integration processes in areas where they operate with the use of migrant laborers. It begins with the presupposition that a common framework as to what constitutes ethical behavior in business is needed and beneficial. It argues that the very industry that creates a need for migrant labor ought to also be involved in merging this labor successfully into the existing community and specifies that a discourse on business ethics and migration is gravely needed. This must be one that considers how businesses can become more engaged in resolving the social issues that arise both for the migrants and for the local community in which the businesses operate. The purpose would be to fill a social and humanitarian need that government alone cannot. More importantly, it will be to exercise beneficence and display responsible and sincere corporate citizenship. It is claimed that businesses that fail to encourage and participate in integration processes display a moral flaw. Cosmopolitan business ethics are proposed as a way to look at ethical business conduct and it is claimed that businesses that act as cosmopolitan citizens are morally praiseworthy.

The research was multi-method as it combined qualitative semi-structured interviews with quantitative surveys. The thesis concludes by discussing cultural implications for the formation of trust among business people in the UK and China, and future research directions.

The small business sector has become an increasingly important segment of the Australian economy since the 1970s. Industrial relations in the sector have been assumed to be harmonious. However, to a large extent this belief about industrial relations is based on conventional wisdom rather empirical evidence. Industrial relations research in Australia has concentrated on medium to large businesses because the centralised nature of the industrial relations system encouraged a collective emphasis. This collective emphasis ensured peak representative bodies and larger organisations had a tendency to dominate while small enterprises and their employees were, to a large extent, excluded. The perceived non-problematic nature of industrial relations in the small business sector was another reason for the lack of focus on the sector. The low incidence of strike activity and the low levels of trade union membership have meant research has been concentrated on the more "difficult" areas of industrial relations. The lack of empirical research into industrial relations in the sector is an important shortcoming. There are a number of commentators who suggest that it is too simplistic to assume harmonious relations. It is likely that there is a range of industrial relations in small business, depending on a number of variables including the personality of the owner/manager and employees, the type of business and the current economic climate. The legislative framework will also have an important affect on industrial relations. This study addresses the lack of empirical research in industrial relations in the small business sector by examining the differences between small and large registered clubs in NSW. Registered clubs have an unusual ownership structure and unusual business goals. They are also unusual since they are non-profit organisations formed by groups of people who share a common interest and who have come together to pursue or promote that interest. Registered clubs are governed by a board of directors who are responsible for the formulation of policy and for ensuring that management carries out these policies. This study found that there were significant differences in regards to some aspects of employment relations. For example, small clubs were more likely to have lower rates of unionisation than large clubs. They were also likely to have lower levels of informal bargaining than large clubs. The methods of communication within the workplace were likely to be more informal in small clubs and they were less likely to have communications with a trade union. Despite this greater degree of informality in employment relations, small clubs were more likely to use award provisions to determine wages for their managers and employees. Interestingly, despite the lower level of unionisation and the greater use of awards by smaller clubs there were no significant differences between small and large club managers' perception of the impact of awards and trade unions on club flexibility. The findings from this study suggest the deregulation of the Australian industrial relations system may not have any significant benefits for small business.

This thesis examines the British Bus and Tram Industry from 1889 to 1988. The first determinant of the pattern of industrial relations is the development of the labour-process. The labour process changes with the introduction of new technology (electrified trams and mechanised buses), the concentration and centralisation of ownership, the decline of competition, changing market position, municipal and state regulation, ownership and control. The tram industry, as a consequence of electrification, is almost wholly municipally owned and the history of the labour process from horse-trams to the decline of the industry is examined. The bus industry has a less unified structure and is examined by sector; London, Municipal, and Territorial/Provincial. The small independent sector is largely ignored. The labour process is examined from the horse-bus to the present day. The development of resistance in the labour process is discussed both as a theoretical problematic (the `Braverman Debate') and through the process of unionisation, the centralisation and bureaucratisation of the unions, the development of national bargaining structures (National Joint Industrial Council and the National Council for the Omnibus Industry), and the development of resistance to those processes. This resistance takes either a syndicalist form, or under Communist Party leadership the form of rank and file movements, or simply unofficial organisations of branch officials. The process of centralisation of the unions, bureaucratisation and the institutionalisation of bargaining and the relationship between this process and the role of the Unions in the Labour Party is examined. Neo-corporatism, that is the increasing integration of the leadership of the main Union, the T.G.W.U.with the Labour Party and with the State is discussed. In theoretical terms, this thesis considers the debate around the notion of `labour process', the relationship between labour process and labour politics and between labour process and labour history. These relationships are placed within a discussion of class consciousness.

Includes bibliographical references.
Industrial Relations theory presents a dualism of approaches to explanation, that is of Subjective and Objective paradigms of explanation. Utilising Giddensian Structuration theory, a Structuration theory of industrial relations is developed and utilised to bridge the epistemological divide. Structuration theory is then utilised to establish the ontological character of collective bargaining for three regions of the South African Garment Manufacturing Industry. This 'character' is shown to be encapsulated in the notion of maintaining a high level of managerial prerogative. The managerial prerogative has been maintained and perpetuated by the lack of militancy on the part of the Unions, and an explanation of the observed lack of militancy is provided by the examination of action around the bargaining in the respective industrial councils.

There is a high failure rate of small and medium enterprises that results in high unemployment rate and poverty in Ghana. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of small business owners in Ghana. The conceptual framework was based on the theory of disruptive innovation. Disruptive innovation describes a method that enables business owners to create a new market. Data were collected through interviews from 20 participants who owned small businesses and succeeded beyond 5 years in Accra, Ghana. Member checking was used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretation of the participants' responses. The findings highlighted 19 skills, which coalesced into 6 emerging themes: business model, innovative strategies, marketing skills, effective supervision, human relations, and commitment, punctuality, and focus. The findings from this study may contribute to social change by indicating some skills and strategies that business owners could use to sustain the profitability of their companies. The data from this study may contribute to the prosperity of small business owners, their employees, and the surrounding community.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: After decades of its struggle against the apartheid policy and system, and after the victory in the first democratic elections in 1994, the pre-1994 co operation within the alliance of the African National Congress (ANC), the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) created the framework of reference for the legal infrastructure of a new Industrial Re[ations ([R) system in which trade unions, employers and government would act together in a spirit of tripartism. The legal infrastructure of the new IR system was thus aligned with the new politica[ dispensation and in compliance with the new Constitution (200 of 1993) with its overarching aim as the correction of the imbalances of the past by ensuring both, a climate supportive of growth and the pursuit of social equity for all South Africans. However, in the wake of the 1994 elections, more and more ideo[ogical differences have arisen within the Alliance, also fostered by South Africa's unequal income distribution, the [ow life expectancy, the [ow literacy rates, high infant mortality, one of the highest H[V/Aids infection rates among the black population and its strong investor - unfriendly climate, all affecting effective policy making. [n particular, the ANC's 'shift to the right' with its Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) strategy for macroeconomic development is alienating it from its alliance partners. Nevertheless, a new package of labour legislation was structured around the core of the individual contract of employment, resting in common law, with the Basic Condition of Employment Act (75 of 1997) setting minimum standards, and the new Labour Relations Act (66 of 1997) providing the framework for a collective bargaining system. The new Labour Relations Act integrates co operation in the [R system by enabling trade unions and employers to establish and regulate formally their relationships for the purpose of collective bargaining and creating machineries for the resolution of disputes of interest on the one side, and an employee - employer relationship based on rights vested in the parties in an enterprise, domestic context on the other. Provisions for a certain form of codetermination by, and participation of workers in the taking of decisions by management on the shop floor are legally entrenched in Chapter V - Workplace Forums - of the Labour Relations Act. Chapter V of the Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995) stipulates the requirements for the establishment of a Workplace Forum and defines and regulates its functions. If the definition and structure of such a Workplace Forum as contained in the respective schedule of the Act are compared with the German Betriebsverfassungsgesetz of 1952 and 1972, numerous similarities can be observed, and a quasi - adoption and incorporation of the German act as a blueprint for Chapter Vof the South African act can be assumed. However, whereas in Germany co-determination and the 8etriebsvedassungsgesetz of 1952 and 1972 have evolved naturally over the years, workers participation in South Africa through a Workplace Forum appears to be a mere legal creation, conceived on the drawing board for the new legislation, without any particular tradition and an effective place in the IR system. Additionally, questions raised in connection with its constitutionality leaves the quasiimported provisions of Chapter V in a doubtful light. I n analogy to the German Verfassungsklage of 1976 against the then new Mitbestimmungsgesetz, the focus of this study falls on a hypothetical test whether the provisions of Chapter V would be in accord with the new South African Constitution (200 of 1993), and also the constitution of their 'importing country', namely Germany. Several grey areas exist in which the Constitutional Courts of both countries would most probably have to declare some provisions as unconstitutional, the most important one being that, since the establishment of a Workplace Forum is linked only to the initiative of an existing representative union, the Freedom of Association of the individual is impaired.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na dekades van weerstand teen die sisteem van die apartheidsbeleid, en na die oorwinning in die eerste, demokratiese verkiesing van 1994, het die samewerking binne die alliansie van die African National Congress (ANC), die Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) en die South African Communist Party (SACP) die raamwerk vir die struktuur van 'n nuwe Nywerheidsverhoudingsstelsel waarbinne vakbonde, werkgewers en die regering in 'n gees van tripartisme kan saamwerk, die lig laat sien. Die regtelike infrastruktuur van die nuwe nywerheidsverhoudingsstelsel was dus met die nuwe politiese sisteem in ooreenstemming en ook voldoende aan die vereistes van die nuwe Konstitusie (200 van 1993). Die alomvattende doel van die Konstitusie was om die sosiale wanbalans van die verlede te korrigeer en 'n klimaat te skep wat ekonomiese groei en die strewe na sosiale gelykheid vir alle Suid-Afrikaaners moontlik sal maak. In die tydperk na die verkiesing het egter meer en meer ideologiese verskille binne die Alliansie ontstaan, ook veroorsaak deur Suid Afrika se ongelyke inkomsteverdeling, 'n lae lewensverwagting, 'n lae vlak van lettervaardighede, 'n hoe graad van kindersterflikheid, een van die hoogste Vigs statistieke vir die swart bevolking en 'n onvriendelike klimaat vir buitelandse investering wat all die effektiewe beleidsskepping beinvloed. Besonders die ANC se 'verskuiwing na regs' met sy Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) strategie vir makroekonomiese ontwikkeling vervreemd die organisasie van sy bondgenote. Dit nieteenstande het 'n nuwe pakket van arbeidswetgewing ontstaan. Die kern van die pakket is die individuele kontrak van indiensneming wat in die algemene reg veranker is, maar wat deur die Wet op Basiese Diensvoorwaardes (75 van 1997) met 'n getal van minimum standaarde en vereistes gemodifiseer word, met die Wet op Arbeidsverhouding (66 van 1995) wat vakbonde en werkgewers met 'n raamwerk vir die proses van kollektiewe bedinging voorsien. Die nuwe Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge maak voorsiening vir die samewerking tussen vakbonde en werkgewers om hulle verhouding vir die doel van onderhandelinge te formaliseer en ook meganisme vir die beslegting van belangedispute, en ook regsdispute wat uit die regte van die partye in die direkte werksplek vloei. Voorsiening vir 'n sisteem van werkersdeelname en medebestemming in die besluitneming van bestuur word in Hoofstuk V - Werkplekforums - van die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge gemaak. Hoofstuk V van die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge bepaal die vereistes, reguleer die stigting en defineer die funksies van 'n Werkplekforum. As 'n vergelyking van die definisies vir, en die struktuur van so 'n Werkplekforum soos voorgeskryf in die skedule vir Hoofstuk V met die Duitse Betriebsverfassungsgesetz van 1952 en 1972 gemaak word, kan daar baie ooreenstemming met die wet gevind word. Dit Iyk ook dat baie komponente van die Duitse wet oorgeneem en as 'n bloudruk vir Hoofstuk V gebruik en daarin geintegreer is. In analogie met die Duitse Verfassungsklage van 1976 teen die destydse nuwe Mitbestimmungsgesetz val die klem in die studie op 'n hipotetiese toets of die voorwaardes van Hoofstuk V met die vereistes van die nuwe Suid Afrikaanse Konstitusie (200 van 1993) voldoen, en ook die van die konstitusie van hulle 'importeeringsland', naamlik Duitsland. Daar bestaan sekere grys areas in Hoofstuk V waarin die konstitusionele howe van altwee lande hoogswaarskynlik sommige voorwaardes as botsend met hulle onderskeidelike konstitusies sou vind. Die mees belangrikste daarvan is die voorwaardes dat, aangesien 'n Werkplekforum net deur 'n verteenwoordigende vakbond mag gestig word, die Verenigingsvreiheid van die individu aangetas word.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This comparative study between the Malawian and the South African Labour Relations Act examines whether local industries in Malawi could benefit more from the new Act in comparison to the South African industries which also were exposed to a new Labour Relations Act. South Africa is the biggest exporter to Malawi representing 31% of total imports. Malawi is a net importer of goods relying on agricultural products such as tobacco, tea and sugar to earn foreign currency. The majority of manufactured goods are imported competing against a relative small local industry, which is not competitive and relies on import tariff for protection against cheaper imports. However, Malawi is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and is committed to import tariff reduction and eventual tariff elimination amongst SADC countries of which South Africa is also a member. This will have a devastating effect on Malawi's manufacturing industry if it cannot improve its competitiveness. One aspect that can assist local industries to become more competitive is the advent of the new Labour Relations acts introduced in both South Africa and Malawi following the historic and co-incidental change in both countries to multiparty democracy during 1994. Both acts recognise collective bargaining as the best means of resolving industrial disputes of interests. In order to make collective bargaining more effective, both acts require employers to disclose information deemed necessary for effective negotiations and bargaining. The acts attempt to assist in the process of reaching agreement between the parties. In Malawi, unresolved disputes must be referred to the Industrial Relations Court whereas the South African act replaced the Industrial Court with a new Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. In addition, the South African Labour Relations Act introduced the workplace forums which are organisations consisting of elected employees who have the right to consult with the employer to reach joint agreement on matters of mutual concern. The Malawian Labour Relations Act requires an employer to recognise a trade union for collective bargaining if the trade union membership represents at least twenty per cent of the employees. However, the South African Labour Relations Act attempts to create a spirit of industrial democracy through joint decisionmaking and promotes the concept of majoritarianism and collective bargaining at industry level. In Malawi, if a dispute is unresolved and it concerns the interpretation of statutory provisions or any provisions of a collective agreement or contract of employment, either party to such a dispute may apply to the Industrial Relations Court for determination of the dispute. However, the South African Labour Relations Act has created two new structures, bargaining councils and statutory councils. These structures perform primarily a dispute resolution function as part of what is referred to in the Act as the self-regulation principle which underlines the entire Act. The South African Labour Relations Act thus promotes self-regulatory principles whereas the Malawian Labour Relations Act promotes dispute resolution measures through statutory structures. In terms of both acts, employees have the right to strike and employers have the right to initiate a lock-out. It is important to note that, in the case of Malawi, seven days notice prior to taking industrial action is required whereas in South Africa only forty-eight hours notice is required. The South African Labour Relations Act has introduced workplace forums for the purpose of preventing or minimising unilateral decision making by employers. It therefore encourages worker participation in managerial decision making through workplace forums. The Malawian Labour Relations Act has not made any provision for workplace forums or any similar structure. This is a significant weakness in the Malawian Labour Relations Act as the encouragement of worker participation in managerial decision making might well be instrumental in the reduction of conflict at the workplace and for both employees and employers to appreciate each others contending goals. Unlike the new Malawian Industrial Relations Act, the new South African Act has replaced the Industrial Court with a new dispute resolution system in the form of a Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, which attempts to resolve disputes through the process of mediation and arbitration. The South African Labour Relations Act contains a whole chapter on unfair dismissals whereas the Malawian Labour Relations Act does not specifically address this issue. As to the effectiveness of the Malawian industrial relations system, several recommendations have been made in the following key areas: • Union representation; • Workplace forums; • Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration; and • Unfair dismissal.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie vergelykende studie van die Malawiese en Suid-Afrikaanse Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge ondersoek of plaaslike nywerhede in Malawi meer kan baat van die nuwe Wet in vergelyking met die Suid-Afrikaanse nywerhede wat ook aan die nuwe Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge blootgestel is. Suid-Afrika is die grootste uitvoerder na Malawi, met 'n 31 persent verteenwoordiging van die totale invoere. Malawi is 'n netto invoerder van goedere en maak staat op boerderyprodukte soos tabak, tee en suiker om buitelandse valuta te verdien. Die meerderheid van die vervaardigde goedere word ingevoer en ding mee teen 'n redelike klein plaaslike industrie wat nie kompeterend is nie en vir beskerming teen goedkoper invoere op invoertariewe staatmaak. Malawi is egter 'n lid van die Suider-Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeenskap en is daartoe verbind om invoertariewe te verlaag en dit uiteindelik tussen die Suider-Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeenskap-lande, waarvan Suid-Afrika ook 'n lid is, uit te skakel. Dit sal 'n vernietigende uitwerking op Malawi se vervaardigingsindustrie hê as hulle nie hul mededinging kan verbeter nie. Een aspek wat plaaslike nywerhede kan help om meer mededingend te word, is die koms van die nuwe Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge wat, na aanleiding van die geskiedkundige en gelyktydige veranderinge in beide lande na veelpartydemokrasie in 1994, in beide Suid-Afrika en Malawi ingestel is. Beide wette erken kollektiewe bedinging as die beste manier om arbeidsgeskille oor belange te besleg. Om kollektiewe bedinging doeltreffender te maak, vereis beide wette dat werkgewers inligting openbaar maak wat nodig geag word vir doeltreffende onderhandelinge en bedinging. Die wette probeer help dat ooreenkomste tussen die partye bereik word. In Malawi moet geskille wat nie besleg kan word nie, na die Arbeidsbetrekkingehof verwys word terwyl die Suid-Afrikaanse wet die Nywerheidshof met 'n nuwe Kommissie vir Versoening, Bemiddeling en Arbitrasie vervang het. Hierbenewens het die Suid-Afrikaanse Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge die werkplekforums ingestel. Dit is liggame wat bestaan uit werknemers wat gekies is en die reg het om met die werkgewer te beraadslaag om 'n gemeenskaplike ooreenkoms oor gemeenskaplike belange te bereik. Die Malawiese Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge vereis dat 'n werkgewer 'n vakbond erken vir kollektiewe bedinging as die vakbond ledetal minstens 20 persent van die werknemers verteenwoordig. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge poog egter om 'n gevoel van arbeidsdemokrasie te skep deur gesamentlike besluitneming en bevorder die konsep van meerderheid en kollektiewe bedinging op industrievlak. As 'n geskil in Malawi nie bygelê kan word nie en dit raak die interpretasie van statutêre bepalings of enige bepalings van 'n kollektiewe ooreenkoms of dienskontrak, kan enigeen van die party tot so 'n geskil by die Arbeidsbetrekkingehof aansoek doen om 'n beslissing oor die geskil. Die Suid- Afrikaanse Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge het egter twee nuwe strukture geskep, onderhandelingsrade en statutêre rade. Hierdie strukture verrig hoofsaaklik 'n geskilbyleggingsfunksie as deel van waarna in die wet as die selfreguleringsbeginsel verwys word en wat die hele wet versterk. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge bevorder dus selfreguleringsbeginsels terwyl die Malawiese Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge geskilbyleggingsmetodes deur statutêre strukture bevorder. Ingevolge beide wette het werknemers die reg om te staak en werkgewers het die reg om 'n uitsluitaksie te inisieer. Dit is belangrik om daarop te let dat in die geval van Malawi, sewe dae kennis gegee moet word voor dat die nywerheidsaksie ingestel kan word, en in Suid-Afrika word slegs 48 uur kennis verlang. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge het werkplekforums ingestel met die doel om eensydige besluitneming deur werkgewers te voorkom of tot die minimum te beperk. Dit moedig dus werkerdeelname in bestuursbesluitneming deur werkplekforums aan. Die Malawiese Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge het nie vir werkplekforums of enige soortgelyke struktuur voorsiening gemaak nie. Dit is 'n groot swakheid in die Malawiese Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge omdat aanmoediging van werkerdeelname in bestuursbesluitneming straks instrumenteel kan wees in die vermindering van konflik in die werkplek en beide werknemers en werkgewers mekaar se strydende doelwitte kan waardeer. Anders as die nuwe Malawiese Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge, het die nuwe Suid- Afrikaanse wet die Nywerheidshof vervang met 'n nuwe geskilbeslegtingstelsel in die vorm van 'n Kommissie vir Versoening, Bemiddeling en Arbitrasie, wat poog om geskille deur die proses van bemiddeling en arbitrasie by te lê. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge bevat 'n hele hoofstuk oor onregverdige afdanking waar die Malawiese Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge dié saak nie spesifiek aanroer nie. Wat die doeltreffendheid van die Malawiese arbeidsverhoudinge-stelsel betref, is verskeie aanbevelings op die volgende gebiede gedoen: • Vakbondverteenwoordiging • Werkplekforums • Kommissie vir Versoening, Bemiddeling en Arbitrasie • Onregverdige afdanking

Ethical issues and problems in business are receiving increasing attention, both in terms of criticism of examples of "bad" behaviour of business actors and in terms of the development of ethical codes of conduct in certain companies, ethical visions for businesses etc. In general, ethical problems seem to be increasingly prevalent in business, but ethics tend to be disre­garded by traditional organisational and managerial theory. This calls for the development of an ethical perspective on business. This study adopts a stakeholder approach to the problem, meaning that the empirical focus lies on how business actors deal with the ethical issues that arise in their daily work in relation to various stakeholder groups. Two empirical studies have been conducted: one is a survey study of the attitudes of Swedish managing directors, and the other a case study of the ethical values and behaviour of two companies. These studies resulted in the formulation of concepts which reflect contextually interpreted moral views on the individual and organisational levels, respectively. On the individual level, a distinction was made between humanitarian morality, meaning that ethical problems in business are judged according to what is best for individuals, and organisational morality, where economic and practical concerns for the company are considered. On the organisational level, I found a principled, individually based morality where rule-following, voluntary agreements and personal moral norms were important, and an instrumental, collectively based morality, which meant that company goals dictated the way stakeholder relations and ethical dilemmas were taken care of. Overall, it was possible to make a distinction between two basic ethical criteria business actors use when judging ethical dilemmas: principles versus objectives. The results indicate that the use of principles and moral rules presuppose an intimate and personal handling of stakeholder relations. On the other hand, when business actors acquire a more professional way of managing their activi­ties, stakeholder relationships are handled in accordance with objectives and economic utility, these usually being the same as company goals. One of the major contributions of this thesis is the concept of the ethical contract, as a meta­phor for the relationship between a company and any one particular stakeholder with special focus on the informal and implicit aspects of the relationship. The contract is characterised by two opposing forces: the striving for self-interest, which underpins ethical problems, and the development of self-imposed duties, which are necessary if instrumentally based interaction is to be "good". The mutual development of such duties is stimulated by proximity and personal relations.
digitalisering@umu

This thesis deals with how companies utilize their enterprise systems in their business relationships. The study’s starting point is enterprise systems that basically are standardised information systems that the company can acquire from software vendors like SAP, Oracle and Microsoft. Enterprise systems aim to integrate and manage all the company’s data and it can also be linked to its business partners.

The thesis contains two case studies of how a focal company utilizes its enterprise system in their business relationships. To accomplish this, an analytical framework based upon the combination of an information systems (IS) and a business relationship perspective is developed and applied. The IS perspective follows an ‘ensemble view of technology’ approach which describes the use of information systems as embedded in a both technical and social context. The business relationship perspective is founded in empirical studies of industrial companies. Basically, business relationships are unique and based on the companies’ exchanges. It also involves behavioural elements as trust, commitment, adaptations and interdependencies between the partners.

The two case studies cover the business relationships between ten companies and the character of the studied business relationships varies. The results show that enterprise systems are mainly focused on the companies’ internal activities. The exchanges in the business relationships are either carried out without the enterprise system or are supported by some complementary information system. Enterprise systems are thus mainly seen as production systems. This can be explained by the heritage from former material and resource planning (MRP) systems. An alternative explanation can be that business relationships are unique and require continuous adaptations and a mutual orientation. Enterprise systems require structural data rendering them difficult to use for the activities of a business relationship. The users then develop other, individual, applications that handle what is needed in their ongoing business. The threat is that information can be lost on a company level. The challenge is therefore to investigate the complementary information systems functions to see if it is possible to extend the enterprise system to include them. To be worth its epithet, the enterprise system must facilitate all the business activities found in the companies business relationships.

This study explored relationships between national culture and generalized disposition to trust. Cultural differences were assessed using Hofstede’s (2001) dimensions of national culture: power distance (PDI), individualism (IDV), masculinity (MAS) and uncertainty avoidance (UAI). Trust was operationalized as four disaggregated subconstructs in McKnight, et al.,’s (2002) foundations of trust model: generalized benevolence belief (GBB), generalized integrity belief (GIB), generalized competence belief (GCB) and trusting stance. The research question considered whether generalized disposition to trust is a culture bound construct or a function of individual difference. Surveys were administered to graduate business students in Poland, United States, and Uruguay between May and September 2012. A levels-of-analysis approach utilized qualitative analysis to explore relationships across country borders; quantitative, individual-level analysis to explore relationships within specific countries. Significant differences were found among the three countries on all four dimensions of culture and three trust subconstructs. Comparisons of national culture to disaggregated dimensions of trust revealed a complex pattern of relationships: PDI and MAS showed negative relationships with GIB and positive relationships with GCB. IDV had a negative relationship with GCB. UAI revealed negative relationships with both GBB and GIB. PDI displayed a negative relationship with GBB among Uruguayan students and a positive relationship with TS among Polish students. UAI showed a negative relationship with three dimensions of trust (GBB, GIB and GCB) among Uruguayan students. Findings suggest elements of trust may be differentially bound to national culture and individual difference, with relationships dependent upon the cultural dimension, trust subconstructs and method of analysis.

The decade since 1979 has seen the most rapid introduction of microelectronic technology in the workplace. In particular, the scope offered for the application of this new technology to the area of white collar work has meant that it is a sector where trade unions have been confronted with major challenges. However the application of this technology has also provided trade unions with opportunities for exerting influence to reshape traditional attitudes to both industrial relations and the nature of work. Recent academic research on the trade union response to the introduction of new technology at the workplace suggests that, despite the resources and apparent sophistication of modern trade unions, they have not in general been able to take advantage of the opportunities offered during this period of radical technological change,the argument being that this is due both to structural weaknesses and the inappropriateness of the system of collective bargaining where new technology issues are concerned. Despite the significance of the Public Sector in employment terms, research into the response of public sector white collar trade unions to technological change has been fairly limited. This thesis sets out the approach of the National and Local Government Officers Association (NALGO), the largest solely white collar union in the world with over three quarters of a million members employed in a wide range of public service industries. The thesis examines NALGO's response at national level and, through detailed case studies, at local level in respect of Local Government and Water Industry NALGO members. The response is then evaluated and conclusions drawn in terms of a framework based upon an assessment of the key factors relevant in judging the ability of NALGO to respond effectively to the challenges brought about by the technological revolution of the last ten years.

This study is concerned with the impact of job insecurity on the vital social exchange relationship between employee and employer. Specifically, it explored the relationship between job insecurity and two important social exchange outcomes—organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. Moreover, it assessed the moderating effects of individual factors (communal orientation and powerlessness) and situational factors (trust in management, procedural fairness, and organizational support) on these relationships.

Servant leadership is one leadership philosophy, which addresses the concerns of ethics, customer experience, and employee engagement while creating a unique organizational culture where both leaders and followers unite to reach organizational goals without positional or authoritative power. With employees viewed as one of the greatest assets for organizations, maintaining loyal, productive employees while balancing profits becomes a challenge for leaders, and drives the need to understand employee engagement drivers. The experiences of 11 employees and two managers from Celebration Restaurant in Dallas, Texas explored the qualitative phenomenological study of servant leadership and its influence on employee engagement. The modified van Kaam method contributed to data analysis, which examined manager and employee responses for comparison and assessment. The themes that emerged from interviews and focus groups found were:

1. Servant Leader Experience;

2. Why People Stay at Celebration;

3. Servant Leader Traits;

4. Impact of Servant Leadership;

5. Application of Servant Leadership.

The themes revealed servant leadership positively influences employee engagement while contributing to employee loyalty to the workplace. Based on the servant leader experience, participants were more committed, built healthy work relationships, and actively participated in achieving organizational goals.

Volunteers for non-governmental organizations can be difficult to recruit and retain for a number of different reasons. It is, therefore, important to maximize their contributions because NGOs rely on volunteers to assist their staff members to perform the vital operations in order to accomplish the mission of the organization. However, NGOs tend to have limited staff to train and monitor volunteers and often compete with business organizations and other NGOs for the same volunteer workforce. Therefore, retaining a strong reliable group of volunteers saves NGOs valuable time, money, and labor resources that can effectively contribute to the future development of nongovernmental organizations.

This study proposed an NGO leadership model to examine the value of integrity and inclusiveness as NGO leadership characteristics that impact the leader/volunteer relationship in terms of volunteer satisfaction and retention. For two months, the study uncovered the vital elements that provided volunteers with satisfying experiences that promoted the retention of volunteers in NGOs in the Southern California area. One hundred and forty one volunteers responded to a survey that measured perceived leadership integrity, inclusiveness, volunteer satisfaction, and volunteer retention in NGOs. Thirteen structured in-depth interviews were also conducted with current and former volunteers in order to examine their experiences, perceptions, and observations about the leadership characteristics under examination.

Quantitative and qualitative methods collected data for analysis to address the five research questions and hypotheses in order to determine the relationships between: (1) leadership integrity and volunteer satisfaction, (2) leadership inclusiveness and volunteer satisfaction, (3) volunteer satisfaction and volunteer retention, (4) leadership integrity and volunteer retention, and (5) leadership inclusiveness and volunteer satisfaction. Only three of the hypotheses were supported through correlational analysis, and further supported through qualitative analysis. Two hypotheses were quantitatively unsupported but qualitatively supported. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the NGO leadership Model and revealed that Inclusiveness was a better indicator of volunteer Retention than Integrity and Satisfaction.

Key words: Leadership integrity, leadership inclusiveness, volunteer satisfaction, volunteer retention.

The aim of this study is to understand the importance of public relations activity in non-profit organisations. The study emphasizes the bearing public relations activities can have on non-profit organisations in the contemporary world. This is especially true in an over communicated society where the vast majority of organisations compete to gain access to the scare media resources to put their message across to their potential clients, supporters and customers. Non-profit organisations generally have to depend on the donor agencies and therefore fail to attract a sizeable public relations budget. On the one hand, these organisations lack the resources to launch a successful public relations campaign and on the other the lack of knowledge and interest among general staff members makes it even harder for a public relations campaign to be developed or successfully launched. In this study, I used both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to collect and analyse data. The data were collected from two non-profit organisations based in New Zealand working in the area of child welfare. The primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews and survey questionnaires. A single semi-structured interview was conducted with each team leader of the two selected organisations. However, this was like skimming the surface and in-depth interviews would have helped me to collect richer data. On the other hand the data collected was sufficient for this research and it helped me to create a holistic understanding of the topic. The findings of the research highlight that most non-profit organisations working in the area of child welfare find it hard to market themselves due to a lack of funds and employee involvement. Although the findings from the study are significant; caution is necessary in applying the results to other scenarios and in making generalizations. One of the key findings from this research is that both organisations did not use public relations as a strategy. Most decision related to public relations was made on random basis and no long term strategic plan was made to adopt public relations as a core strategy to build creditability among their stakeholders.

Thesis (PhD (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
Since relationship marketing re-emerged as an approach to marketing, the concept was met with a great deal of interest. This interest resulted in relationship marketing being researched extensively, whilst businesses started to look for ways to build relationships with their clients. Relationships with clients can, however, only be managed if the dimensions contributing to the relationship are adequately identified. From an academic viewpoint, once all the relevant dimensions have been identified, these dimensions can be used to construct a model that can guide the management of long-term marketing relationships. The aim of this study was to identify the dimensions that are important when longterm marketing relationships in business-to-business (B2B) financial services are managed. The study started with a comprehensive review of the marketing literature. The literature review was followed by two empirical studies. The first empirical study was conducted among relationship managers, while the second empirical study focused on both the relationship managers and clients of a leading South African financial services provider. Both the relationship managers as well as the clients were part of the afore-mentioned financial services provider’s B2B domain. Phase 1 of the empirical research (the exploratory study) focused on an assessment of the perceptions of 75 relationship managers in respect of the importance of a number of pre-determined dimensions. A web-based approach was used and a questionnaire was developed according to the requirements of the Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) method. Based on the literature review and the results of the exploratory study, a set of 11 dimensions emerged as important for the management of long-term relationships in B2B financial services. The second phase of the empirical research focused on the perceptions of both relationship managers (the relationship manager sample) and B2B clients (the client sample). In the case of the relationship manager sample, a web-based questionnaire was sent to 300 relationship managers, while 400 clients participated in the client study. Relationship manager data were analysed by means of regression analysis whereas the client data were analysed with the aid of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The LISREL 8.80 software program was used to fit both the measurement model and the SEM model. The results of the study confirmed the important roles of especially trust and commitment on a person’s intention to stay in a relationship. Furthermore, the study found that relationship managers and clients appear to view the process of relationship management as an intricate process. Although relationship managers and clients differ on the importance of some of the further dimensions, agreement existed for the importance of especially satisfaction and communication. It was also found that relationship managers appear to over-estimate their performance levels on some of the identified dimensions. The uniqueness of the study lies in the simultaneous consideration of the perceptions of both relationship managers and clients. The most important contribution of the study is the construction of a model through which long-term marketing relationships in the B2B financial services industry can be managed.

This study develops a conceptual model for managerial control of environmental scanning behavior in their subordinate organizations. It is developed within a boundary-spanning framework where the boundary of the organization is part of the conceptualization of the environmental scanning process. Aggregate and individual effects specific to the organizational boundary layer are included in the conceptual model. Environmental scanning behavior is stimulated and focussed by managers like a "push-pull" pump. Subordinate perceptions of managerial communication are central to the "pump mechanism." Perceptions of strategically important themes for the organization supply the push to engage in environmental scanning. Perceptions of managerial receptivity to external information on strategic themes supply the pull. In concert these factors draw environmental information across the organizational boundary, then vertically in the organization, making environmental information available to senior management.

Sverige är ett av de länder som påverkas mest av globaliseringen. En kraftig ökning av utländska direktinvesteringar och gränsöverskridande förvärv och fusioner har förändrat det svenska näringslivet. Var femte svensk i näringslivet arbetar idag i ett utlandsägt företag. Utländska institutionella investerare står för runt en tredjedel av ägandet på Stockholmsbörsen. Ett nytt sätt att se på företagens mål och mening sägs ha kommit till Sverige. Talet om aktieägarvärde ges utrymme i media och i företagens kommunikation. Det sätter aktieägarna i främsta rummet på ett sätt som är annorlunda jämfört med ett svenskt intressentmodellsorienterat sätt att se på företaget. Mot denna bakgrund studeras fyra svenska företag som snabbt blir mer internationella genom förvärv och fusioner. I en hermeneutisk studie får vi genom kvalitativa och longitudinella fallstudier följa anställda och chefer och se deras reaktioner på de stora förändringar som internationaliseringen innebär för vardagslivet i organisationen. Läsaren erbjuds en explorativ och induktiv resa som ger en ökad förståelse för mötet mellan det svenska och det globala och för vilken påverkan som sker på svenska företags relationer med sina nära intressenter.
Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2006

Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.
Public relations (PR) scholars and industry partners continue to emphasise the importance of a sustainable relationship between PR disciplines and key industry iii partners. This relationship seeks to respond to stakeholders that remain despondent with the quality of engagement between the South African PR academia and industry. Existing literature in this field argues that PR departments at South African universities are experiencing adverse scrutiny by industry as many current academic programmes do not produce students who are industry ready. To address this critical concern, building and sustaining relations with key stakeholders is imperative. This study examines engagement strategies that the PR programme at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology uses to build and sustain relations with key industry partners. The research draws on two Public Relations theories: stakeholder theory and two-way symmetrical communication to make sense of the strategies used by this programme. It is based on a qualitative approach and an exploratory case study research design. Empirical data were collected through one-to-one interviews and focus group discussions with PR programme staffs, final year PR students and employees from two external PR consultancies. The data were coded and thematically analysed. The main finding of the study is that current engagement strategies are ineffective for relationship building purposes between the PR programme and key industry partners. To sustain mutually beneficial relationships, it is recommended that existing strategies be revised in order to improve relations between the PR department at Cape Peninsular University of Technology (CPUT) and its industry partners, as well as to promote the advancement of both PR as an academic discipline and a profession.

Background: In the 1970’s, the first concerns regarding manufacturing pollu-tion headed off in Sweden and an enormous demand was cre-ated. The result came to be an enhanced consumption of ingredi-ent branded products such as KRAV, Bra Miljöval and The Swan to mention a few. Fair Trade entered the Swedish shelves in 1996 which gave the consumers the possibility to buy products and contribute to better conditions for farmers and employees in de-veloping countries.

Problem: In 1995 a research was performed, which showed that 50 percent of the respondents did not buy products with for instance an en-vironmental concerned label due to the significantly higher price. Some argue against this and believe that it is more of a marketing issue. Customers have become more aware in their shopping and, in order to keep them, companies must meet their demands by paying more attention to how they run their business.

Purpose: The aim with this thesis is to investigate why managers make decisions to purchase ingredient branded products, particulary Fair Trade.

Method: To accomplish this thesis a qualitative approach has been applied with the intention to describe the result from performed tele-phone and personal interviews with companies within chain res-taurants, hotels, grocery stores, and textile retail stores.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the decision to introduce Fair Trade labelled products depended on factors such as; the introduction year of these products, the history of the company and core values. Managers at the selected companies decided to purchase products with the ingredient brand Fair Trade for different rea-sons. Either since they had a long history of concern for fair production and rooted values or due to that the introduction of these products contributed to a good business image or to clean the company’s history.

This investigation attempted to ascertain whether managerial perceptions of potentially unethical business conduct, and recommendations for social control, vary according to the social characteristics of the employee committing the behavior. Subjects consisted of management personnel from a variety of industries. Data was gathered via instruments developed for this research. Instruments consisted of (1) a description of an employee; (2) a description of a potentially unethical behavior committed by the employee; and (3) scales for subjects to (a) rate the seriousness of the employee's behavior and (b) recommend the social control they would use against the employee. Perceptions of seriousness did vary significantly with variations in the employee's social characteristics. However, recommendations for social control did not vary with changes in employee characteristics. Thus, whereas observers may judge the ethicality of socially decontextualized behaviors against universally held standards of morality, observers become less adamant about these standards as the behavior becomes more contextualized.

Moving beyond a focus on institutional frameworks to the deeper forms of politics and power relations that determine their functioning, this thesis explores the political dynamics of growth and structural transformation in Kenya. Deploying a conceptual framework that combines political settlement analysis, which explores how the underlying structure of power shapes incentives for elites to adopt developmental forms of governance, with two concepts from the state business relations literature, the deals and rents spaces, which together link macro level political settlement analysis with a meso level analysis of specific economic actors, the thesis offers new understandings for Kenyas economic development. It argues that Kenyas period of comparatively good growth during the 1960s and 1970s, generally attributed to the inheritance of reasonably coherent institutions at independence as well as favourable external dynamics, actually owed more to Kenyas relatively stable political settlement, which allowed ruling elites to unveil a closed ordered deals regime that provided favoured investors, predominantly from President Kenyattas Kikuyu ethnic group, but also foreign firms, with sufficient credible commitment to invest in productive activities. Similarly, the thesis finds that Kenyas declining performance during the 1980s and 1990s, explained in the literature by worsening external conditions and the capture of increasingly outdated colonial era institutions, was driven more by the ruling coalitions increasing vulnerability, which incentivised then President Moi to prioritise short term politics of survival over sound economic management, particularly after the transition to multi party politics in the 1990s. This resulted in an extremely closed and increasingly disordered deals space, undermining investor confidence and growth. However, a key finding of the thesis, and one that challenges a general view within the literature that corruption permeated all areas of Kenyas economy during the 1980s and 1990s, is that key sectors like horticulture and garments, which made vital contributions to foreign exchange and vote winning employment, were relatively insulated from these political dynamics, helping to explain why Kenya did not suffer a complete growth collapse. Finally, the thesis finds that improved economic outcomes from the early 2000s did not flow from the enactment of donor demanded reforms, as the literature suggests, but rather from increased order within the deals space. This was driven by a reduction in the ruling coalitions vulnerability as well as the ideological predilections of President Kibaki, Mois successor, whose deeply held ideas drove him to implement his economic vision in the face of countervailing political incentives. Critically, the thesis finds that Kibaki enforced ordered but closed deals in Kenyas financial services industry, giving influential banking and telecommunication firms the regulatory space and certainty that they required to innovate with products like mobile money, kickstarting a financial services revolution that has, amongst other things, significantly improved the availability and costs of credit. However, a key finding is that the closed deals predominant in banking and telecommunications, combined with the open deals found in export focused sectors like horticulture and garments, where firms have utilised their increased holding power to push for further openings in deals, has led to the emergence of a dualistic deals space that, if not tackled through incremental governance reforms, undermines the prospects for Kenya achieving a long term growth acceleration and structurally transforming its economy. These findings inform the thesis policy recommendations, which include a focus on how pockets of effectiveness can play a critical role in promoting growth in otherwise unfavourable governance contexts.

This thesis and its corresponding art installation, Lessons from Ziggy, attempts to deconstruct the variables prevalent within several complex systems, analyze their transformations, and propose a methodology for reasserting the soap box within the display pedestal. In this text, there are several key and specific examples of the transformation of various signifiers (i.e. media-bred fear’s transformation into a political tactic of surveillance, contemporary freneticism’s transformation into complacency, and community’s transformation into nationalism as a state weapon). In this essay, all of these concepts are contextualized within the exponential growth of new technologies. That is to say, all of these semiotic developments must be framed within the post-Internet sphere.

The "New Institutionalism" (DiMaggio and Powell 1991) posits a Theory of Practical Action as the basis for persisting social arrangements in economic life. In this project, I use this perspective to explain the social construction and organization of the life insurance industries of New York and Arizona. I develop an institutionalized-strategies explanation of industry organization. Research by Dobbin (1994b) showed the influence of embedded "institutional logics" in shaping rational responses to the economic business of railroads in Britain, France, and the United States. I combine Dobbin's argument with recent research on the development of state-level economic policies in the United States. Leicht and Jenkins (1994) identified three distinct "strategies" employed by states in implementing economic policies, and they imply that the strategies differ mainly in their "assumptions about the nature of economic growth and the role of the state" in economic development (1994:257). 1 argue that these findings suggest that states adopt a particular strategy--a set of similar Policy tools ("tactics") for specific policy targets. Applied to the insurance industries of New York and Arizona, an institutionalized-strategies view proposes that variation in state insurance laws reflects the meanings lawmakers associate with the economic enterprise of "life insurance." Different public conceptions of life insurance as a business led to different meanings for policymakers, and these meanings defined what tactics of control are legitimate and appropriate. These meanings derived from the economic and cultural legacy in the state--cultural heritage and economic history gave meaning to images of life insurance as a business enterprise. The legitimate, rational actions (tactics) of policymakers followed from the cultural legacy of the two states, and they constituted overall strategies directed at controlling life insurance companies. The sociocultural and historical embeddedness of meanings associated with the business of life insurance makes the lines of action rational in the minds of policymakers. In addition to showing how this process operated in the two states, I document the outcomes of such organizing activity--different rates of organizational dynamics and industry trajectories as reflected in rates of foundings, entries, and failures of life insurance companies.