Enterprise without unions: employment relations in non-union firms

Non‐unionism and non‐union firms have been an increasing focus of interest since the early 1980s, and indeed for some constitute an emerging model of employee relations which could (or should) become dominant in an ‘enterprise culture’, This view is prompted by a belief that trade union organisation is in terminal decline; a lasting transformation in the economic, legal and political context of industrial relations is being achieved; new sophisticated ‘human resource management’ (HRM) strategies acting as ‘substitutes’ for union representation are emerging; and that non‐union firms enjoy a competitive advantage because they are inherently conducive settings for technological innovation, flexible working practices and high productivity. In short, the non‐union firm and the ‘enterprise culture’ go hand in hand.