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Forcing German managers to focus on productivity

Forcing German managers to focus on productivity Purpose – Aims to test Walton and McKersie’s theory on labour negotiations, specifically in the case of German car manufacturers. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on interviews with industrial actors in Germany’s car industry – an empirical case study. Findings – The article explains the structural force behind the managerial drive towards production. While German managers act at an enterprise level, a structural force has been responsible for the success of Germany’s post‐WW II manufacturing. Germany’s collective bargaining structure removed wage and working‐time bargaining from local management and opened four managerial options: production, productivity, innovation, and quality. This structure forced management to focus on these four options because they lie within the realm of management prerogative. The article explains how structural divisions between intra ‐enterprise level arrangements and extra ‐enterprise level collective bargaining at a conceptual level can best be understood. Originality/value – Argues that a regional and industry collective bargaining structure has supported the success of a competitive car industry in Germany. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Employee Relations: An International Journal Emerald Publishing

Forcing German managers to focus on productivity

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
0142-5455
DOI
10.1108/01425450510612004
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – Aims to test Walton and McKersie’s theory on labour negotiations, specifically in the case of German car manufacturers. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on interviews with industrial actors in Germany’s car industry – an empirical case study. Findings – The article explains the structural force behind the managerial drive towards production. While German managers act at an enterprise level, a structural force has been responsible for the success of Germany’s post‐WW II manufacturing. Germany’s collective bargaining structure removed wage and working‐time bargaining from local management and opened four managerial options: production, productivity, innovation, and quality. This structure forced management to focus on these four options because they lie within the realm of management prerogative. The article explains how structural divisions between intra ‐enterprise level arrangements and extra ‐enterprise level collective bargaining at a conceptual level can best be understood. Originality/value – Argues that a regional and industry collective bargaining structure has supported the success of a competitive car industry in Germany.

Journal

Employee Relations: An International Journal – Emerald Publishing

Published: Oct 1, 2005

Keywords: Automotive industry; Germany; Innovation; Manufacturing industries; Productivity bargaining

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