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The Impact of Co-Management on Quality Performance: The Case of the Saturn Corporation

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  • Saul A. Rubinstein

Abstract

Using data from surveys, interviews, direct observation, and records of quality performance, the author examines the system of co-management created through the General Motors-United Auto Workers partnership at the Saturn Corporation. Under this partnership, each department, or module, is jointly managed by union-represented and non-represented advisors. The author credits the union with building a dense communications network throughout Saturn's management system. Compared to non-represented advisors, union advisors showed greater levels of lateral communication and coordination, which had a significant positive impact on quality performance. Also positively associated with quality outcomes at the module level were balanced time use, with each advisor engaging in both production and people management, and alignment between union-represented and non-represented advisors regarding their priorities, responsibilities, practices, and job definition.

Suggested Citation

  • Saul A. Rubinstein, 2000. "The Impact of Co-Management on Quality Performance: The Case of the Saturn Corporation," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 53(2), pages 197-218, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:53:y:2000:i:2:p:197-218
    DOI: 10.1177/001979390005300202
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. John E. McCarthy, 2019. "Catching Fire: Institutional Interdependencies in Union‐Facilitated Knowledge Diffusion," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 57(1), pages 182-201, March.
    3. Jody Hoffer Gittell, 2001. "Supervisory Span, Relational Coordination and Flight Departure Performance: A Reassessment of Postbureaucracy Theory," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(4), pages 468-483, August.
    4. Stephen J. Deery & Roderick D. Iverson, 2005. "Labor-Management Cooperation: Antecedents and Impact on Organizational Performance," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 58(4), pages 588-609, July.
    5. Rubinstein, Saul & Martin-Rios, Carlos & Erhardt, Niclas & Hoffer Gittell, Jody & George, Varghese P., 2016. "Organizational responses to uncertainty in the airline industry: Changes in patterns of communication networks," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 217-227.
    6. Jody Hoffer Gittell, 2002. "Coordinating Mechanisms in Care Provider Groups: Relational Coordination as a Mediator and Input Uncertainty as a Moderator of Performance Effects," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(11), pages 1408-1426, November.
    7. Marick F. Masters & Robert R. Albright & David Eplion, 2006. "What Did Partnerships Do? Evidence from the Federal Sector," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 59(3), pages 367-385, April.
    8. John E. McCarthy, 2021. "Labor‐Management Partnerships' Effects On Unionists' Interaction Networks: Evidence From Us Public Schools," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(3), pages 277-306, July.
    9. Rosemary Batt, 1999. "Work Organization, Technology, and Performance in Customer Service and Sales," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 52(4), pages 539-564, July.
    10. Thomas A. Kochan, 2000. "On the Paradigm Guiding Industrial Relations Theory and Research Comment on John Godard and John T. Delaney, “Reflections on the ‘High Performance’ Paradigm's Implications for Industrial Relatio," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 53(4), pages 704-711, July.
    11. Ariel C. Avgar & Julie Anna Sadler & Paul Clark & Wonjoon Chung, 2016. "Labor–Management Partnership and Employee Voice: Evidence from the Healthcare Setting," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(4), pages 576-603, October.
    12. Morris M. Kleiner & Jonathan S. Leonard & Adam M. Pilarski, 2002. "How Industrial Relations Affects Plant Performance: The Case of Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 55(2), pages 195-218, January.

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