A problem of embeddedness. A micro-theoretical model of trade union action and interaction in Europe
| Published date | 03 April 2018 |
| Date | 03 April 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-04-2017-0075 |
| Pages | 500-514 |
| Author | Bernd Brandl,Alex Lehr |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Industrial/labour relations,Employment law |
A problem of embeddedness
A micro-theoretical model of trade
union action and interaction in Europe
Bernd Brandl
Business School, Durham University, Durham, UK, and
Alex Lehr
Department of Political Science, Institute for Management Research,
Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to propose a general micro-theoretical framework that helps to
understand the embeddedness of trade unions within the European system of industrial relations, and the
consequences of this embeddedness for industrial relations outcomes. First, starting from the paradoxical
observation of a trend towards homogeneity within a complex, multi-layered European industrial relations
system consisting of heterogeneous and autonomous agents, the paper aims to explicate the mechanisms
which produce these similarities. Second, the paper seeks to analyse potential mechanisms for transnational
trade union cooperation and, third, it concludes by outlining its applicability as the basis for methodological
approaches which enable realistic and policy relevant analyses.
Design/methodology/approach –This paper is conceptual and focusses on the development of a general
micro-theoretical framework which captures European industrial relations actors’behaviour and outcomes.
It integrates theoretical and empirical accounts from differing social science disciplines and from various
methodological starting points on trade union action and interaction into one general micro-theoretical framework.
Findings –Starting from a typology of trade union goals, the authors show how various social mechanisms
lead to interdependencies between trade unions and review empirical evidence for their consequences.
The authors, then, identify a set of motives for transnational cooperation that would allow outcomes that are
in line with trade union objectives.
Originality/value –Against the background that previous studies on trade union action and cross-national
interaction have paid less attention to the puzzling stylised fact that industrial relations outcomes are
mimicked by heterogeneous and autonomous agents actors in different countries, the authors address this
research gap by developing a novel general micro-theoretical framework for the analysis of transnational
trade union action and interaction in order to better understand the underlying causal mechanisms for the
common behaviour and outcomes of autonomous actors.
Keywords Cooperation, Europe, Complexity, Trade unions, Microfoundations
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
It is well documented in the industrial relations literature that actors, i.e. social
partners, and processes are very different in different European countries (e.g. Erne, 2008;
Ferner and Hyman, 1998; Marginson and Sisson, 2004). In all European countries,
there are distinct types of industrial relations systems embedded in different
institutional national frameworks (e.g. European Commission, 2015). Even though in
recent decades the transnational context has become increasingly important, the national
arena for social partners’action and interaction remains the most relevant (Keune and
Marginson, 2013).
From a transnational perspective, the European industrial relations system emerged and
transformed within distinct countrytraditions (e.g. Crouch, 1993) andis currently constituted
by the presence of many heterogeneous and autonomous actors in each country which differ
in terms of their domain and which act on different levels. Actors are heterogeneous as they
differ from country to country in terms of their institutional and organisational structure
(e.g. the level at which they are organised), their role and scopes of activities (e.g. the legal
Employee Relations
Vol. 40 No. 3, 2018
pp. 500-514
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/ER-04-2017-0075
Received 3 April 2017
Revised 5 December 2017
Accepted 15 December 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0142-5455.htm
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