Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Lansbury, Russell D
• Sandkull, Bengt
• Hammarstrom, Olle

Titel

Industrial relations and productivity: evidence from Sweden and Australia

Ist Teil von

• Economic and industrial democracy, 1992-08, Vol.13 (3), p.295-329

Ort / Verlag

London: Sage Publications

Erscheinungsjahr

1992

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Two case studies are presented that are part of a wider study comparing plants in the automotive components industry in Sweden and Australia. Productivity levels in each of the cases are examined, and an attempt is made to determine which variables are significant in explaining differences between the performance of the 2 plants. The Swedish plant achieves higher levels of both productivity and quality than its Australian counterpart. This appears to be related not only to higher levels of investment in technology, but also to a greater emphasis on skills development and work organization that emphasizes teamwork and consultation. Not surprisingly, there is a high level of cooperation between the workforce, unions, and management in the Swedish case. By contrast, the Australian plant is caught in a vicious cycle of low productivity and quality, poor industrial relations, and a declining market share. As a consequence, it will be hard pressed to survive the current recession without radical changes in its operations.