What makes organizations so similar? We contend that the engine of rationalization and bureaucratization has moved from the competitive marketplace to the state and the professions. Once a set of organizations emerges as a field, a paradox arises: rational actors make their organizations increasingly similar as they try to change them. We describe three isomorphic processes-coercive, mimetic, and normative—leading to this outcome. We then specify hypotheses about the impact of resource centralization and dependency, goal ambiguity and technical uncertainty, and professionalization and structuration on isomorphic change. Finally, we suggest implications for theories of organizations and social change.

The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields (Chinese Translation)

1. The political economy of skills in comparative-historical perspective 2. The evolution of skill formation in Germany 3. The evolution of skill formation in Britain 4. The evolution of skill formation in Japan and the United States 5. Evolution and change in the German system of vocational training 6. Conclusions, empirical and theoretical.

How Institutions Evolve: The Political Economy of Skills in Germany, Britain, the United States, and Japan

This article outlines a framework for the analysis of economic integration and its relation to the asymmetries of economic and social development. Consciously breaking with state-centric forms of social science, it argues for a research agenda that is more adequate to the exigencies and consequences of globalization than has traditionally been the case in 'development studies'. Drawing on earlier attempts to analyse the cross-border activities of firms, their spatial configurations and developmental consequences, the article moves beyond these by proposing the framework of the 'global production network' (GPN). It explores the conceptual elements involved in this framework in some detail and then turns to sketch a stylized example of a GPN. The article concludes with a brief indication of the benefits that could be delivered by research informed by GPN analysis.

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Global production networks and the analysis of economic development

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The Precariat. The New Dangerous Class

This is a study in industrial sociology; it a partial report, to be followed by another, of an investigation of singel factory seen in the light of Max Weber's theory of bureacracy.

Patterns of Industrial Bureaucracy.

Industrial relations: A Marxist introduction

Understanding European Trade Unionism is a well-written, thought-provoking book. Those familiar with Richard Hyman's writings will recognize this book's argument as the logical extension and synthesis of his past work. The book's central thesis is that European trade unionism (and, by implication, trade unionism elsewhere) is undergoing an ideological crisis that is undermining its power base, causing, or at least contributing to, labor's long decline. At the root of this ideological crisis, Hyman argues, is the decline of unions as \"schools of war\" in class struggle. Hyman does not regard unions purely, or even mainly, as agents of class struggle. Rather, he identifies three roughly co-equal roles for them. First, unions are economic actors, seeking to improve the welfare of their members through industrial strength and collective bargaining. Second, they are \"social partners,\" and as such are an essential part of stable, democratic societies. Third, they are vehicles for class struggle, fighting the commodification of labor under capitalism. All unions are all three of these things, in some combination, although each facet is more or less evident at different

Understanding European Trade Unionism: Between Market, Class and Society

The literature on and for management makes increasing use of notions of strategy. Is such an approach compatible with analyses of capitalism as structurally determined? The first part of the paper ...

Strategy or Structure? Capital, Labour and Control

List of Contributors. Preface. Introduction: Towards European Industrial Relations?. 1. Great Britain: From Partial Collectivism to Neo--liberalism to Where?: Paul Edwards (University of Warwick), Mark Hall (University of Warwick), Richard Hyman (University of Warwick), Paul Marginson (University of Leeds), Keith Sisson (University of Warwick), Jeremy Waddington (University of Warwick), and David Winchester (University of Warwick). 2. Ireland: Corporation Revived: Ferdinand von Prondzynski (University of Hull). 3. Sweden: Restoring the Model?: Anders Kjellberg (University of Lund). 4. Norway: The Revival of Centralised Concertation: Jon Erik Dolvik and Torgeir Aarvaag Stokke (Both Institute for Applied Social Science, Oslo). 5. Denmark: A Less Regulated Model: Steen Scheuer (Copenhagen Business School). 6. Finland: Continuity and Modest Moves Towards Company--Level Corporatism: Kari Lilja (Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration). 7. Germany: Facing New Challenges: Otto Jacobi (Laboratorium Europa), Berndt Keller (University of Konstanz), and Walther Muller--Jentsch (Ruhr University of Bochum). 8. Austria: Still the Country of Corporatism: Franz Traxler (University of Vienna). 9. Switzerland: Still as Smooth as Clockwork?: Robert Flunder and Beat Hotz--Hart (Both University of Zurich). 10. The Netherlands: The Return of Responsive Corporatism: Jelle Visser (University of Amsterdam and Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne). 11. Belgium: The Great Transformation: Jacques Vilrokx and Jim Van Leemput (Both Vrije Universiteit Brussel). 12. Luxembourg: A Small Success Story: Gary Tunsch (Ministry of Labour and National Conciliation Office, Luxembourg). 13. France: The Limits of Reform: Janine Goetschy (Universite de Paris--Nanterre). 14. Portugal: Industrial Relations under Democracy: Jose Barreto (University of Lisbon) and Reinhard Naumann (freelance researcher). 15. Spain: Regulating Employment and Social Fragmentation: Miguel Martinez Lucio (University of Leeds). 16. Italy: The Dual Character of Industrial Relations: Ida Regalia (University of Turin) and Marino Regini (University of Milan). 17. Greece: The Maturing of the System: Nicos Kritsantonis. Index.

Changing industrial relations in Europe

Book synopsis: Trade unions in most of Europe are on the defensive: in recent decades they have lost membership, sometimes drastically; their collective bargaining power has declined, as has their influence on government; and in many countries, their public respect is much diminished.

This book explores the challenges facing trade unions and their responses in ten west European countries: Britain, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Italy. Based on a substantial number of interviews with key union representatives and academic experts in each country, together with the collection of a large amount of union documentation and background material, the book gives an account of how trade unionism has evolved in each country, the main recent challenges that unions have faced, and their responses. The book engages with the debates of the past two decades on union modernization and revitalization, and more generally with theories of institutional change and the literature on varieties of capitalism.

Some observers ask whether unions remain relevant socio-economic actors, but challenging times can stimulate new thinking, and hence provide new opportunities. This book aims to show why trade unions are (still) important subjects for scientific analysis: first, as a means of collective 'voice' allowing employees to challenge management control and bringing a measure of balance to the employment relationship; second, as a form of 'countervailing power' to the socio-economic dominance of capital; and third, their potential as a 'sword of justice' to defend the weak, vulnerable and disadvantaged, express a set of values in opposition to the dominant political economy, and offer aspirations for a different—and better—form of society.

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Richard Hyman

Papers

Industrial relations: A Marxist introduction

Understanding European Trade Unionism: Between Market, Class and Society

Strategy or Structure? Capital, Labour and Control

Changing industrial relations in Europe

Trade Unions in Western Europe: Hard Times, Hard Choices