Labor Unions and Organizational Change: a New Frontier for OD.

Abstract

Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings includes abstracts of all papers and symposia presented at the annual conference, plus 6-page abridged versions of the “Best Papers” accepted for inclusion in the program (approximately 10%). Papers published in the Proceedings are abridged because presenting papers at their full length could preclude subsequent journal publication. Please contact the author(s) directly for the full papers. ArticlesLabor Unions and Organizational Change: a New Frontier for OD.Lee Dyer and Thomas A. KochanLee Dyer and Thomas A. KochanPublished Online:30 Nov 2017https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.1974.17531378AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsDownload CitationsAdd to favoritesTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail AbstractPressures to improve the "quality of work" in the U.S. are opening up a new frontier for the OD field. The field, however, seems unprepared to cross this frontier, especially where labor unions are involved. In this paper, the authors explore some of the essential differences between organizational change situations involving only one organization and those in which labor unions play a major role. These differences revolve around four basic concepts: goal incompatibility, shared power, structurally-based conflict, and the multiple objectives and concerns of union leaders. Using these concepts as a base, implications for consulting strategy in unionized situations are drawn. These include the need to: (1) learn more about the nature of issues that are salient to management and union leaders; (2) adapt an instrumental, as opposed to an affective or interpersonal, style; (3) encourage and facilitate bargaining and compromise behavior as legitimate means of conflict resolution; and (4) coordinate and integrate programs of organizational change with the more traditional collective bargaining process.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 1974, No. 1 Permissions Metrics in the past 12 months History Published online 30 November 2017 Published in print 1 August 1974 InformationCopyright of Academy of Management Journal is the property of Academy of Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.KeywordsQUALITY of work lifeINDUSTRIAL organization -- ManagementORGANIZATIONAL change -- ManagementORGANIZATIONAL behaviorLABOR unionsORGANIZATIONAL structureINTERORGANIZATIONAL relations -- ManagementINDUSTRIAL relations -- Psychological aspectsCONFLICT managementCOLLECTIVE bargainingDownload PDF