Industrial Conflict
Which theories or theories of industrial conflict, if any, can best explain the state of industrial conflict in Singapore?
Justify your answer.
This essay is based on the assumption that Singapore’s industrial relations tend to be pluralistic in nature. The pluralistic approach to employment relations as defined by Bray, Waring and Cooper (2011) is that the employment relationship contains a potential to conflict. Hence, the question is the extent of industrial conflict in Singapore and which theories can support this.
Industrial conflict is defined by Kornhauser et al (1954) as the ‘total range of behaviours and attitudes that express opposition and divergent orientations between industrial owners and managers, on the one hand, and working people and their organisations on the other hand.’ There are many schools of thought explaining industrial conflict, one of which is the John Dunlop’s model. The extended John Dunlop model is the tripartite gum model which is practiced in Singapore as seen in fig 1.1 (fig 1.1 Appendix) Three main actors in an industrial relation system— government, employers and employees.. These three actors are able to carry out effective negotiations under the interaction process of the tripartism system to bring about solutions to industrial conflict present in Singapore. The basic function of the tripartism system in Singapore is to employ peaceful employment relations as well as to improve the quality of life for workers through economic development for the nation. Additionally, Singapore has effective manpower policies coupled with effective legislation, rules and regulations that explains the lack of industrial conflict in Singapore.
Another assumption to consider for this essay is that industrial conflict is to be broadly classified into covert or overt conflict. Overt conflict is more collective, organised and confrontational which takes place in the form of protests and strikes whilst covert conflict is individual,
Justify your answer.
This essay is based on the assumption that Singapore’s industrial relations tend to be pluralistic in nature. The pluralistic approach to employment relations as defined by Bray, Waring and Cooper (2011) is that the employment relationship contains a potential to conflict. Hence, the question is the extent of industrial conflict in Singapore and which theories can support this.
Industrial conflict is defined by Kornhauser et al (1954) as the ‘total range of behaviours and attitudes that express opposition and divergent orientations between industrial owners and managers, on the one hand, and working people and their organisations on the other hand.’ There are many schools of thought explaining industrial conflict, one of which is the John Dunlop’s model. The extended John Dunlop model is the tripartite gum model which is practiced in Singapore as seen in fig 1.1 (fig 1.1 Appendix) Three main actors in an industrial relation system— government, employers and employees.. These three actors are able to carry out effective negotiations under the interaction process of the tripartism system to bring about solutions to industrial conflict present in Singapore. The basic function of the tripartism system in Singapore is to employ peaceful employment relations as well as to improve the quality of life for workers through economic development for the nation. Additionally, Singapore has effective manpower policies coupled with effective legislation, rules and regulations that explains the lack of industrial conflict in Singapore.
Another assumption to consider for this essay is that industrial conflict is to be broadly classified into covert or overt conflict. Overt conflict is more collective, organised and confrontational which takes place in the form of protests and strikes whilst covert conflict is individual,
References: Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid (Adapted from Conley,C, 2010) Fig 1.2