A definition of unitarism, mentioned in the Dictionary of Human Resources and Personal Management states that it is: ‘the belief that the management and workforce are working together for the good of the company’ (Ivanovic and Collin, 2006, p.267), whereas pluralism is mentioned to be: ‘the belief that the way to achieve good industrial relations is to acknowledge that various groups of employees have different requirements and make different demands, and that compromises have to be reached’ (Ivanovic and Collin, 2006, p.201).
This essay compares and contrasts unitarist perspectives and pluralist perspectives. To do so, unitarism, pluralism and the employment relationship will be defined in more detail. This will be done by focusing on different …show more content…
A long known definition is provided by Gospel and Palmer (1993, p.3), who define the employment relationship as ‘an economic social and political relationship in which employees provide manual and mental labour in exchange for rewards allotted by employers’. There are certain characteristics that make the employment relationship to what it is said and which make it different from other relationships related to a workplace, such as the relationship between the customer and the company (Lewis, Thornhill and Saunders, 2003).
Employment relationship can be seen from different perspectives. Each business adopts a different perspective, whereas similar businesses have the same perspective. These perspectives are: unitarism, pluralism and Marxism. The two perspectives, unitarism and pluralism are the most contrasting perspectives of employee relations and the ones that are mostly adopted by a business (Lewis, Thornhill and Saunders, 2003).
Unitarist perspective
A unitarist perspective was defined by Fox (1966, p.2) as: ‘a team, unified by a common goal’. All employees work together and share the same values (Lewis, Thornhill and Saunders, 2003). Everyone works in the position they are good in, where the employer, manager or owner owns the control and everyone follows this one’s leadership (Fox, …show more content…
Especially in small or family owned businesses it’s found that the relationship between the employees is like a big family or team that work together to reach the same goal. Still there is a one that holds the power in the business and everyone follows the person the leadership was assigned to. It’s a paternalistic management in most small and family owned businesses, whereas in the military it’s an authoritarian management, where the management gives strict instructions and everyone follows them without challenging the authority’s opinion. The environment is still like a large family or team but more in a materialistic way, without friendly interactions with the
This essay compares and contrasts unitarist perspectives and pluralist perspectives. To do so, unitarism, pluralism and the employment relationship will be defined in more detail. This will be done by focusing on different …show more content…
A long known definition is provided by Gospel and Palmer (1993, p.3), who define the employment relationship as ‘an economic social and political relationship in which employees provide manual and mental labour in exchange for rewards allotted by employers’. There are certain characteristics that make the employment relationship to what it is said and which make it different from other relationships related to a workplace, such as the relationship between the customer and the company (Lewis, Thornhill and Saunders, 2003).
Employment relationship can be seen from different perspectives. Each business adopts a different perspective, whereas similar businesses have the same perspective. These perspectives are: unitarism, pluralism and Marxism. The two perspectives, unitarism and pluralism are the most contrasting perspectives of employee relations and the ones that are mostly adopted by a business (Lewis, Thornhill and Saunders, 2003).
Unitarist perspective
A unitarist perspective was defined by Fox (1966, p.2) as: ‘a team, unified by a common goal’. All employees work together and share the same values (Lewis, Thornhill and Saunders, 2003). Everyone works in the position they are good in, where the employer, manager or owner owns the control and everyone follows this one’s leadership (Fox, …show more content…
Especially in small or family owned businesses it’s found that the relationship between the employees is like a big family or team that work together to reach the same goal. Still there is a one that holds the power in the business and everyone follows the person the leadership was assigned to. It’s a paternalistic management in most small and family owned businesses, whereas in the military it’s an authoritarian management, where the management gives strict instructions and everyone follows them without challenging the authority’s opinion. The environment is still like a large family or team but more in a materialistic way, without friendly interactions with the