The new pluralism: interests, identity and social change
| Date | 17 July 2024 |
| Pages | 1332-1345 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-09-2023-0449 |
| Published date | 17 July 2024 |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Industrial/labour relations,Employment law |
| Author | Patrick McGovern |
The new pluralism: interests,
identity and social change
Patrick McGovern
Department of Sociology, The London School of Economics and Political Science,
London, UK
Abstract
Purpose –The paper reviews Fox’s frames of reference against subsequent changes in the composition of the
labour force, shifts in social values and the arrival of the politics of identity.
Design/methodology/approach–A close reading of the frames of reference is placed in the context of Fox’s
writing on the search for managerial legitimacy. That search is then considered in relation to the subsequent
revolution in equal opportunities and contemporary efforts to promote equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
Findings –At the core of Fox’s frames lies the fundamental question of whether employers accept trade
unions as a legitimate expression of employee interests. Changes in the compositionof the labour force and the
related arrival of identity politics has led to the emergence of a new set of interests based on social identity.
These interests exist because of state legislation, social pressure from campaign groups and the awareness of
the right to equal treatment regardless of gender, race, sexuality etc. It follows that the emergence of these
identity-based interests means that employers are all pluralists now. This new pluralism has the ideological
challenge of gaining approval not only from employees but also from the public in a world where errant
employers are vulnerable to hashtag activism.
Originality/value –By revisiting Fox’s frames of reference, and emphasizing the role of employee interests,
the paper shows that Fox’s original insights on managerial authority and the need for “legitimising sentiments”
are still relevant even if his frames are now outdated.
Keywords Ideology, Legitimacy, Social identity, Equality, Pluralism
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
At a time when there is a renewed interest in the role of ideas within employment relations
(Hauptmeier and Heery, 2014;Carstensen et al., 2022), it is worth revisiting Alan Fox’s efforts
to broaden the field of industrial relations by incorporating ideas from sociology. The most
significant of these ideas was almost certainly his “frames of reference”not least because they
have featured in virtually every major British textbook on industrial relations, the sociology
of work and human resource management (e.g. Edwards, 2003;Legge, 2005;Watson, 2017).
As Heery (2016, p. 2) has observed, Fox’s“frames of reference”is one of the few concepts that
has passed tests of ubiquity and longevity in the field of industrial relations.
The background is that Fox sought to deepen our understanding of industrial relations as
a social and political phenomenon by drawing on ideas from classical sociology about the
limits of legal contracts and the legitimacy of managerial authority. He argued that regardless
of how authority is defined, it invariably requires an ideology or coherent set of supporting
beliefs and values. These “legitimating sentiments”provide a basis for making decisions as
well as a set of rationalisations for justifying decisions (1971, p. 135). However, the search for
managerial legitimacy is always a work in progress not least because employers have to
adapt to economic and social change.
In the 50 years that have passed since the publication of Beyond Contract (1974a) and Man
Mismanagement (1974b), there have been profound changes in the composition of the labour
force, in prevailing social values and, relatedly, in employment legislation. Employers have
ER
46,6
1332
The author thanks Ed Heery, Bill Roche, the referees, and especially Andy Hodder and Michael Gold for
their exceptionally constructive comments and advice. The usual disclaimer applies.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0142-5455.htm
Received 1 September 2023
Revised 26 February 2024
7 May 2024
4 June 2024
21 June 2024
Accepted 26 June 2024
Employee Relations: The
International Journal
Vol. 46 No. 6, 2024
pp. 1332-1345
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/ER-09-2023-0449
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