B3519 - RELAZIONI DI LAVORO E RISORSE UMANE

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has an in-depth knowledge of the institutions of industrial relations in various European countries, as well as of the main models of transnational labor relations. The student is also able to compare the influence of these institutions on the strategies implemented by companies and business associations, government and trade unions; in particular, they can critically assess the impact of institutions on  job quality, economic growth and inequalities

Course contents

This is an indicative list of the topics and readings covered in the course: 

 

Introduction

Wright, C. F., Bamber, G. J., Doellgast, V., & Cooke, F.L. (2021). "Introduction: Internationally Comparative Approaches to Studying Employment Relations." In *International & Comparative Employment Relations: Global Crises & Institutional Responses* (pp. 1-28).

Theory

Frege, C., & Kelly, J. (2020). "Theoretical Perspectives on Comparative Employment Relations." In *Comparative Employment Relations in the Global Economy* (Chapter 2). London: Routledge.

Unions

Gumbrell-McCormick, R., & Hyman, R. (2013). "Mapping the Terrain: Varieties of Industrial Relations and Trade Unionism." In *Trade Unions in Western Europe: Hard Times, Hard Choices* (pp. 29-51). Oxford University Press

Opzionale:

Kaine, Sarah (2014). "Union Voice." In *The Handbook of Research on Employee Voice* (pp. 170-186). Edward Elgar.

Employers

Traxler, F. (2008). "Employer Organizations." In Blyton, P., et al. *The SAGE Handbook of Industrial Relations*. London: SAGE.

Opzionale:

Bulfone, F., & Afonso, A. (2020). "Business Against Markets: Employer Resistance to Collective Bargaining Liberalization During the Eurozone Crisis." *Comparative Political Studies*, 53(5), 809-846.

The state

Meardi, Guglielmo. "The State and Employment Relations." In Wilkinson, A., Wood, G., & Deeg, R. (Eds.), *The Oxford Handbook of Employment Relations: Comparative Employment Systems*.

Opzionale:

Howell, C. (2020). "Rethinking the Role of the State in Employment Research for a Neoliberal Era." *Industrial and Labor Relations Review*.

Corporatism

Baccaro, L. (2014). "Similar Structures, Different Outcomes: Corporatism’s Resilience and Transformation (1974-2005)." *Review of Keynesian Economics*, 2(2), 207–233.

Opzionale:

Tassinari, A., & Donaghey, J. (2020). "Social Partnership in Europe in the Aftermath of the Great Recession." In Pohler, D. (Ed.), *Reimagining the Governance of Work and Employment. LERA 2020 Research Volume* (pp. 113-142).

IR, productivity and growth

Appelbaum, E., & Schmitt, J. (2013). "Employment Relations and Economic Performance." In *Comparative Employment Relations in the Global Economy*. Routledge, 132-154.

Opzionale:

Lavoie, M., & Stockhammer, E. (2013). "Wage-Led Growth: Concept, Theories and Policies." In *Wage-Led Growth: An Equitable Strategy for Economic Recovery* (pp. 13-39). London: Palgrave Macmillan UK.

IR and job quality

Piasna, A. (2023) *Job quality in turbulent times: An update of the European Job Quality Index*.ETUI Research Paper-Working Paper, Bruxelles.

Opzionale:

Doellgast, Virginia, Ursula Holtgrewe, and Stephen Deery. "The effects of national institutions and collective bargaining arrangements on job quality in front-line service workplaces."*ILR Review*62.4 (2009): 489-509.

IR and inequalities (I)

Baccaro, L., & Howell, C. (2017). "Trajectories of Neoliberal Transformation: European Industrial Relations Since the 1970s." Cambridge University Press. (Chapter 3).

Opzionale:

Vaughan-Whitehead, Daniel, ed. (2018). "Reducing Inequalities in Europe: How Industrial Relations and Labour Policies Can Close the Gap." Edward Elgar Publishing. (Chapter 1).

IR and inequalities (II)

Ibsen, C. L., & Tapia, M. (2017). "Trade Union Revitalisation: Where Are We Now? Where to Next?" *Journal of Industrial Relations*, 59(2), 170-191.

IR and the future of work

Doellgast, V., & Wagner, I. (2022). "Collective Regulation and the Future of Work in the Digital Economy: Insights from Comparative Employment Relations." *Journal of Industrial Relations*, 64(3), 438-460.

Opzionale:

OECD. (2019). "Facing the Future of Work: How to Make the Most of Collective Bargaining." In *OECD Employment Outlook 2019: Chapter 5*. [https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/332a956e-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/332a956e-en](https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/332a956e-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/332a956e-en).

How to regulate work in the gig economy?

De Stefano, Valerio. "" Negotiating the Algorithm": Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Labor Protection."Comporative Labour Lawe and Policy J.41 (2019): 15.

International IR

Donaghey, J., Reinecke, J., Niforou, C., & Lawson, B. (2015). "From Employment Relations to Consumption Relations2. *Human Resource Management*53:2.

Opzionale:

Marginson, P. (2020). "Regional Regulation." In Frege, C., & Kelly, J. (Eds.), *Comparative Employment Relations in the Global Economy*. London: Routledge.

IR and the Italian economic decline

Pulignano, V., Carrieri, D. and Baccaro, L. (2018), "Industrial relations in Italy in the twenty-first century", Employee Relations, Vol. 40 No. 4, pp. 654-673.

Orlandini, Giovanni, and Guglielmo Meardi. "Round Table. Implementing the EU Directive on adequate minimum wages in southern Europe: the odd case of Italy."Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research29.2 (2023): 253-259.

Readings/Bibliography

Bamber, G. J., Cooke, F. L., Doellgast, V., & Wright, C. F. (Eds.). (2021). International and comparative employment relations: Global crises and institutional responses. Sage.

Frege, Carola, and John Kelly, eds. (2020) Comparative employment relations in the global economy. Routledge.

These are just reading indications, the course does not follow a textbook. Please check Virtuale. 

Teaching methods

Interactive lecture; group discussion and teamwork (both in-class and outside); current case studies.

Assessment methods

50% written exam and 50% group project (presentation and 2000 word essay) 

Non frequentanti: Written exam

Teaching tools

PP slides, case studies, newspaper articles

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Benassi