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Patterns in the Press Releases of Trade Unions: How to Use Structural Topic Models in the Field of Industrial Relations
[Muster in Pressemitteilungen von Gewerkschaften. Die Anwendung von Structural Topic Models im Feld der industriellen Beziehungen]

Author

Listed:
  • Bender, Benedikt
  • Bruinsma, Bastiaan

Abstract

Quantitative text analysis and the use of large data sets have received only limited attention in the field of Industrial Relations. This is unfortunate, given the variety of opportunities and possibilities these methods can address. We demonstrate the use of one promising technique of quantitative text analysis - the Structural Topic Model (STM) - to test the Insider-Outsider theory. This technique allowed us to find underlying topics in a text corpus of nearly 2,000 German trade union press releases (from 2000 to 2014). We provide a step-by-step overview of how to use STM since we see this method as useful to the future of research in the field of Industrial Relations. Until now the methodological publications regarding STM mostly focus on the mathematics of the method and provide only aminimal discussion of their implementation. Instead, we provide a practical application of STM and apply this method to one of the most prominent theories in the field of Industrial Relations. Contrary to the original Insider-Outsider arguments, but in line with the current state of research, we show that unions do in fact use topics within their press releases which are relevant for both Insider and Outsider groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Bender, Benedikt & Bruinsma, Bastiaan, 2022. "Patterns in the Press Releases of Trade Unions: How to Use Structural Topic Models in the Field of Industrial Relations [Muster in Pressemitteilungen von Gewerkschaften. Die Anwendung von Structural Topic Models im Feld der industriellen Beziehung," Industrielle Beziehungen. Zeitschrift für Arbeit, Organisation und Management, Verlag Barbara Budrich, vol. 29(2), pages 91-116.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:indbez:314324
    DOI: 10.3224/indbez.v29i2.02
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rueda, David, 2007. "Social Democracy Inside Out: Partisanship and Labor Market Policy in Advanced Industrialized Democracies," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199234059.
    2. Denny, Matthew J. & Spirling, Arthur, 2018. "Text Preprocessing For Unsupervised Learning: Why It Matters, When It Misleads, And What To Do About It," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(2), pages 168-189, April.
    3. Rueda, David, 2006. "Social Democracy and Active Labour-Market Policies: Insiders, Outsiders and the Politics of Employment Promotion," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 36(3), pages 385-406, July.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C55 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Large Data Sets: Modeling and Analysis
    • J48 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Particular Labor Markets; Public Policy
    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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