Abstract
Following various recent proposals to reform Australian industrial relations and personnel practices, this paper explains the rather different British approach. They place more emphasis on voluntary collective bargaining, conciliation and improving the practice of Human Resource Management (HRM), with arbitration reserved as an instrument of last resort. The British have recently been innovating by using mediation as a stage between conciliation and arbitration. Pendulum arbitration is another in novation, whereby an arbitrator has to make a forced choice between either the employer's or the union's final offer or claim. Unlike the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, the British Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) explicitly aims to advise practitioners how to improve HRM. Certain companies in Britain are adopting some elements of a Japanese‐style HRM. The author shows how these approaches may include an emphasis on participative management and employee involvement, possibly to complement a pendulum arbitration procedure. The author does not suggest that ACAS could be transported to Australia. But Australia is trying to increase the efficiency of management and work practices, as one way of revitalising manufacturing industry. Therefore, there would be a constructive role in Australia for some kind of neutral agency which could help to improve HRM. There is considerable scope to put more emphasis on ‘fire‐preventative’ HRM policies rather than continuing to be preoccupied with ‘fire‐fighting’ dispute‐settlement practices.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 18-32 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 1987 |
Keywords
- personnel practices
- HRM
- Human resource management (HRM)
- arbitration
- mediation
- strikes
- disputes
- Australia
- UK
- ACAS
- Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission
- Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
- workplace conflict
- Dispute settlement
- conflict resolution
Cite this
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Conciliation, Arbitration and Human Resource Management : A. British Perspective. / Bamber, Greg J.
In: Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, Vol. 25, No. 2, 01.01.1987, p. 18-32.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Conciliation, Arbitration and Human Resource Management
T2 - A. British Perspective
AU - Bamber, Greg J.
N1 - Published by Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI)
PY - 1987/1/1
Y1 - 1987/1/1
N2 - Following various recent proposals to reform Australian industrial relations and personnel practices, this paper explains the rather different British approach. They place more emphasis on voluntary collective bargaining, conciliation and improving the practice of Human Resource Management (HRM), with arbitration reserved as an instrument of last resort. The British have recently been innovating by using mediation as a stage between conciliation and arbitration. Pendulum arbitration is another in novation, whereby an arbitrator has to make a forced choice between either the employer's or the union's final offer or claim. Unlike the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, the British Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) explicitly aims to advise practitioners how to improve HRM. Certain companies in Britain are adopting some elements of a Japanese‐style HRM. The author shows how these approaches may include an emphasis on participative management and employee involvement, possibly to complement a pendulum arbitration procedure. The author does not suggest that ACAS could be transported to Australia. But Australia is trying to increase the efficiency of management and work practices, as one way of revitalising manufacturing industry. Therefore, there would be a constructive role in Australia for some kind of neutral agency which could help to improve HRM. There is considerable scope to put more emphasis on ‘fire‐preventative’ HRM policies rather than continuing to be preoccupied with ‘fire‐fighting’ dispute‐settlement practices.
AB - Following various recent proposals to reform Australian industrial relations and personnel practices, this paper explains the rather different British approach. They place more emphasis on voluntary collective bargaining, conciliation and improving the practice of Human Resource Management (HRM), with arbitration reserved as an instrument of last resort. The British have recently been innovating by using mediation as a stage between conciliation and arbitration. Pendulum arbitration is another in novation, whereby an arbitrator has to make a forced choice between either the employer's or the union's final offer or claim. Unlike the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, the British Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) explicitly aims to advise practitioners how to improve HRM. Certain companies in Britain are adopting some elements of a Japanese‐style HRM. The author shows how these approaches may include an emphasis on participative management and employee involvement, possibly to complement a pendulum arbitration procedure. The author does not suggest that ACAS could be transported to Australia. But Australia is trying to increase the efficiency of management and work practices, as one way of revitalising manufacturing industry. Therefore, there would be a constructive role in Australia for some kind of neutral agency which could help to improve HRM. There is considerable scope to put more emphasis on ‘fire‐preventative’ HRM policies rather than continuing to be preoccupied with ‘fire‐fighting’ dispute‐settlement practices.
KW - personnel practices
KW - HRM
KW - Human resource management (HRM)
KW - arbitration
KW - mediation
KW - strikes
KW - disputes
KW - Australia
KW - UK
KW - ACAS
KW - Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission
KW - Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
KW - workplace conflict
KW - Dispute settlement
KW - conflict resolution
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84977729124&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/103841118702500203
DO - 10.1177/103841118702500203
M3 - Article
VL - 25
SP - 18
EP - 32
JO - Asia-Pacific Journal of Human Resources
JF - Asia-Pacific Journal of Human Resources
SN - 1038-4111
IS - 2
ER -