Individualism versus collectivism in industrial relations

Abstract

Over recent decades, the world economy has gone through radical changes in response to competitive pressures in globalising product and service markets. The removal of trade barriers has paved the way to a significant increase in international competitiveness, leading in turn to new employment relationships. There has been a proliferation of part-time work, temporary work, contract work and home working. Long, 'just-in-case' runs and inventories in the manufacturing sector are something of the past. And, as if this is not enough, breakthroughs in information technology have opened new horizons and ushered in new forms of employment relationships that are complex and diverse.