Employee Relations: An International Journal

Jerry Hallier; Philip James

2000 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450010310789

Goffman's concept of cooling out the mark (Goffman, E., "On cooling the mark out: some aspects of adaptation and failure", Psychiatry: Journal of the Study of Interpersonal Relations, Vol. 15 No. 4, 1952, pp. 451-63) is proposed as helpful for understanding self-regulating groups' attempts to pacify transferring colleagues who are facing admission failures. A longitudinal study of an air traffic control company is used to examine what happens to the status and operation of a long-standing group-regulated cooling out process when the rejection of applicant colleagues suddenly increases following the onset of mass job moves. Groups saw the tradition of using cooling out to obscure trainee complaints about admission decisions as less important than publicising failure by pressing management to address their new staffing problems. The pressures surrounding the decline of cooling out were also found to weaken the common basis of these groups' established occupational identity. Specialized occupational and group constructions emerged that linked identity and task on the basis of unit location, specialist operational skills, and even desirable age profiles. The conclusion drawn is that while the very act of turning away from the cooling out tradition may undermine the process of self-regulation, it may, paradoxically, represent a necessary step in the transformation of the group from one type of self-regulated identity to another.

Edmund Heery; Melanie Simms; Dave Simpson; Rick Delbridge; John Salmon

2000 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/EUM0000000005307

The concept of an "organizing model" of trade unionism has shaped union strategies for revitalization in a number of countries in recent years. This article examines the transfer of "organizing unionism" to the UK in two ways. It presents findings from a survey of unions to identify the extent to which the organizing model is influencing national recruitment policy and presents case studies of three union campaigns which have drawn upon the organizing model, in an attempt to assess its strengths and weaknesses in a UK context. The survey results indicate only limited take-up of the organizing model, though there is a group of vanguard unions which have embraced it with enthusiasm. The case studies demonstrate some success in applying the model, though identify employer resistance and internal opposition as significant constraints.

Stephen Gibb

2000 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450010310806

The perspective and concern considered here is the internal-subjective evaluation of HRM effectiveness. This involved investigating managers' and employees' perceptions about standards of HRM and of the work of human resources (HR) staff in their own organizations. Survey research indicates that there is a pattern of more positive perceptions of HR staff than of overall standards in HRM. This disassociation presents a challenge to the validity of internal subjective evaluations. One explanation is that features of stereotyping are influencing subjective evaluations of HR staff. The concept of stereotyping is applied and consideration is given to "cognitive efficiency", inter-group dynamics and broad social power theories. The author concludes that HR staff have benefited from the stereotype connection in the past but in an era where more explicit objective standards are increasingly expected, they may not continue to benefit from such positive effects. Nonetheless, an enhanced awareness of the positive behaviours that can arise from dealing with stereotyping can be useful in achieving high standards of HRM.

George Lafferty; Amanda Roan

2000 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450010299918

Since the early 1980s, governments and policy makers in Australia have emphasized the importance of the national skills base to the attainment of international competitiveness. Workforce training programs and institutions have undergone considerable restructuring as a consequence. In recent years, there has also been a rapid growth in the use of contract labour supplied by agencies to perform specific functions. This paper addresses the impact of these concurrent developments in the area of clerical and administrative work. Focusing on two key areas of public sector employment, the Australian Public Service and the higher education system, it highlights the potentially damaging effects a reliance on contract employees can have on training and the skills base.

Titus Oshagbemi

2000 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450010310815

While several publications exist on the topic of job satisfaction, little is known about satisfaction with co-workers' behaviour. This study investigates satisfaction with co-workers' behaviour amongst UK academics. Using a questionnaire methodology, the study found that about 70 per cent of the respondents were satisfied, very satisfied or extremely satisfied with their co-workers' behaviour. The results of a three-way analysis of variance showed that female academics are about as satisfied with their co-workers' behaviour when compared with their male colleagues. When rank was examined in relation to co-workers' satisfaction, however, readers were most satisfied, followed by professors, senior lecturers and lecturers in that order. The differences in satisfaction levels with rank and co-workers' behaviour are statistically significant at 90 per cent confidence level. When examined, age was statistically significant at 95 per cent confidence level. This means that age explains the level of satisfaction with co-workers' behaviour - older workers deriving more satisfaction compared with younger ones.