The role of institutional and intermediary forces in shaping patterns of employee involvement and participation (EIP) in Anglo-American countries

Abstract

Most studies of employee involvement and participation (EIP) focus on organisation level, which is understandable given that employers have plenty of choice about how it should be implemented. However, even the most lightly regulated economies do not operate in a complete institutional void as some forms are regulated while government-funded initiatives also promote EIP. Employers' organisations, professional associations and other specialist organisations also operate as intermediary forces between the state and individual employers to shape EIP. However, these forces have not been analysed, an omission which seems strange given the ‘space’ available for occupation in lightly regulated economies. This paper compares the role these different forces play in shaping patterns of EIP at organisation level in four Anglo-American countries (the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) through interviews and documentary evidence at national, intermediary and organisation levels. While ‘hard’ institutional forces have some influence on representative EIP, ‘soft’ institutional and intermediary forces are more likely to shape EIP because they allow employers choice and flexibility in implementation and fit with national business systems in these countries. However, given such interventions are voluntary, they are also susceptible if government priorities change or employers are attracted by the next management fad.

Keywords::

• Anglo-American countries
• employee engagement
• employee participation
• institutional forces
• intermediary forces

Acknowledgements

I am extremely grateful to the ‘critical observers’ (Peter Ackers, Peter Boxall, Tony Dundon, Russell Lansbury, Bill Roche and Keith Townsend) who commented on my reports. Most of these also helped with access as did Paul Gollan, Eugene Hickland and Adrian Wilkinson. Thanks also to the anonymous reviewers who helped to improve this paper considerably. In addition, I would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Leverhulme Trust through its Emeritus Fellowship scheme (EM-2011-052).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.