Managerialism, quality and employment in local government: the impact of quality management initiatives on work and trade unions

Roper, Ian Clive (1998) Managerialism, quality and employment in local government: the impact of quality management initiatives on work and trade unions. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis describes how the implementation of quality management methods in local government organisations have affected the inter-related issues of the public-service labour process and collective bargaining arrangements. A series of interviews with managers and union officials, and questionnaire surveys of trade union members attitudes at four disparate local authorities pursuing quality management was conducted over two and a half years. The findings indicate that the nature and outcomes of quality management implementation are contingent upon pre-existing employment relations within the organisation - particularly relating to trade union entrenchment and activity. The implementation of quality management, however, does have a subsequent effect on the labour process and collective bargaining. While there are considerable differences between authorities, evidence of increased worker 'commitment' as a result of quality management is inconclusive, though workers do perceive net increases in work-rates. Workers also perceive a net decline in trade union influence over working practices. It is concluded that unions need to address the issue of quality management in a critical manner in order to be able to adequately protect the interests of their members and to retain the long term legitimacy in the workplace.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory; H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences
• Supervisor's Name: Supervisor, not known
• Date of Award: 1998
• Depositing User: Ms Mary Anne Meyering
• Unique ID: glathesis:1998-5185
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 16 May 2014 11:05
• Last Modified: 27 Mar 2020 11:17
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.5185
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/5185