Abstract
Several of the articles in this issue of Economic and Industrial Democracy discuss workplace empowerment, together with various issues on the role of job insecurity. The role of unions is also explored. The geographical areas covered range from the US to several European countries.
In the first article, ‘When industrial democracy and empowerment go hand-in-hand: A co-power approach’, by Sut I Wong Humborstad, BI Norwegian Business School, Norway, the author investigates whether workplace empowerment is associated with collective bargaining. According to the author, the results show that countries with a stronger union tradition also have a more pronounced level of, for example, workplace satisfaction on an individual level.
The article ‘Consequences of flexible employment at labour market entry for early career development in the Netherlands’, by Marloes de Lange, Maurice Gesthuizen and Maarten HJ Wolbers, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands, discusses labour market entry and the effects on early career development. The authors study how flexible labour market entry interacted with early school leavers’ future career opportunities between 1986 and 2008. The authors find that the early detrimental effects in terms of unemployment and weaker income growth were temporary. Rather, the stepping-stone hypothesis is emphasized by the authors.
The article ‘Contract type, perceived mobility and optimism as antecedents of perceived employability’, by Kaisa Kirves, University of Tampere, Finland and KU Leuven, Belgium, Ulla Kinnunen, University of Tampere, Finland, and Nele De Cuyper, KU Leuven, Belgium, discusses, among other aspects, perceived employability in relation to various employment contracts. The positive effect of such perceived employability is associated with a permanent contract, in contrast to temporary workers.
The article ‘Span of control and the significance for public sector managers’ job demands: A multilevel study’, by Linda Wallin, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Anders Pousette, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and Lotta Dellve, University College of Borås and the Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, investigates public sector managers. A large number of employees had a negative impact on managers’ job demands, studied by multilevel analysis. The number of subordinates under each operational manager was therefore found to be of great importance.
Another article in this issue regarding empowerment, ‘Working better together? Empowerment, panopticon and conflict approaches to teamwork’, by Martha Crowley, Julianne C Payne and Earl Kennedy, North Carolina State University, USA, discusses three analytical traditions in relation to empowerment. Based on a study of 204 work groups, the authors conclude that the conflict perspective is important in understanding empowerment. Further, the authors also illuminate worker agency as central in their analysis.
The article ‘Membership duration in a Spanish union: A survival analysis’, by Sergi Vidal, Universität Bremen, Germany, Ramón Alós, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, Pere Jódar, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain, and Pere Beneyto, Universitat de València, Spain, suggests that poor employment conditions are associated with a higher probability to leave the union. Those most affected were foreigners and youth at the workplace, and especially those employed in sectors with a low level of union memberships. The authors also point out that workers in areas or sectors with a tradition of a high degree of union membership are less inclined to leave the union.
Surhan Cam, Cardiff University, UK, discusses non-unionized migrant workers in the article ‘Non-unionised migrant workers in Britain: Evidence from the Labour Force Survey for a triple-challenge model’. The author presents his argument via a triple-challenge model, based upon structural factors, the role of the host society and occupational and educational influences. The structural factors behind the low level of unionization among migrant workers are emphasized by the author. The model is discussed in relation to flexible jobs, as well as low work status.
In the article ‘Organizational communication: A buffer in times of job insecurity?’ the authors Lixin Jiang and Tahira M Probst, both at Washington State University, USA, argue that the negative effects of high job insecurity might be buffered by a higher degree of communication between management and employees. Enhancing organizational communication, the authors argue, could lead to increased job satisfaction, a higher level of workplace safety and increased individual well-being.