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Trade union research and cross-national comparison

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  • Hyman, Richard

Abstract

This article is concerned with problems of comparative research and analysis in industrial relations, and in particular with cross-national comparison of trade unions. Comparison is of both practical and theoretical importance, but is fraught with difficulties, in part because of the paradox involved in attempting to generalise concerning national instances which are in so many respects unique. The author considers three different approaches to analysis, in terms respectively of institutions, functions and issues. In conclusion the article emphasises the iterative nature of research and analysis and insists that even if the goal of satisfactory cross-national comparison may be unattainable, its pursuit is both necessary and valuable.

Suggested Citation

  • Hyman, Richard, 2001. "Trade union research and cross-national comparison," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 757, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:757
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    File URL: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/757/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Andrea Signoretti, 2021. "Workplace processes and employment opportunities for vulnerable social groups," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 27(1), pages 77-92, March.
    2. Giannakopoulos, Nicholas & Nicolitsas, Daphne, 2022. "Employers' associations and trade unions: co-existence or more?," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1140, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Torsten Geelan, 2013. "Responses of trade union confederations to the youth employment crisis," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 19(3), pages 399-413, August.
    4. Jörg Flecker & Franz Schultheis & Berthold Vogel, 2016. "A ‘Problem of Fairness’ in the Making: The Transformation of Public Services from the Perspective of Postal Workers," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 54(4), pages 768-789, December.
    5. Ole Henning Sørensen & Vassil Kirov & Ursula Holtgrewe, 2018. "Social partners' levers: job quality and industrial relations in the waste sector in three small European countries," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(3), pages 242-258, May.
    6. Christian Dufour & Adelheid Hege, 2013. "Special Issue. Edited by: Gregor Murray, Christian Lévesque, Christian Dufour and Adelheid Hege," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 355-372, July.
    7. Gregory Jackson & Sarosh Kuruvilla & Carola Frege, 2013. "Across Boundaries: The Global Challenges Facing Workers and Employment Research 50th Anniversary Special Issue," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 51(3), pages 425-439, September.
    8. Peter Turnbull, 2022. "Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow: The ‘thick and thin’ of comparative (statactivist) research with a European trade union federation," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 28(4), pages 427-449, December.
    9. Martin R Edwards & Tony Edwards, 2012. "Company and country effects in international mergers and acquisitions: Employee perceptions of a merger in three European countries," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 33(3), pages 505-529, August.
    10. Sophie Pochic & Cécile Guillaume, 2021. "Understanding women’s under representation in union leadership roles: the contribution of a ‘career’ methodology," Post-Print hal-03446856, HAL.
    11. Sukti DASGUPTA, 2002. "Attitudes towards trade unions in Bangladesh, Brazil, Hungary and Tanzania," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 141(4), pages 413-440, December.
    12. Carola Frege & John Kelly & Patrick McGovern, 2011. "Richard Hyman: Marxism, Trade Unionism and Comparative Employment Relations," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 49(2), pages 209-230, June.
    13. Steen E. Navrbjerg & Trine P. Larsen, 2018. "The effects of union mergers and internal restructuring: a bottom‐up perspective by Danish shop stewards," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(4), pages 370-397, July.
    14. Giampiero Passaretta & Maarten HJ Wolbers, 2019. "Temporary employment at labour market entry in Europe: Labour market dualism, transitions to secure employment and upward mobility," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 40(2), pages 382-408, May.
    15. McGuire, Donna & Scherrer, Christoph. & Boincean, Svetlana., 2010. "Developing a labour voice in trade policy at the national level," ILO Working Papers 995133092702676, International Labour Organization.
    16. Emma Hughes & Tony Dobbins, 2021. "Frontier of control struggles in British and Irish public transport," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 27(3), pages 327-344, September.
    17. Heidi Nicolaisen, 2014. "The end of the normal working day? A study of change in Irish, Norwegian and Swedish banking," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 35(2), pages 245-266, May.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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