Firm specific forms of participation - which establishment, which effects on personnel policy?

Abstract

"This paper deals with institutionalized forms of employee participation not covered by the Works Constitution Act (Betriebsverfassungsgesetz). Using data of the IAB establishment panel we describe the coverage and quantitative development of such alternative means of representation. Following these facilities at the individual establishment level we find that they are considerably less stable than works councils. In multivariate analysis we identify those establishment characteristics that trigger the implementation of firm specific forms of participation. Such establishments set a high value on human resources and stable employment. Using matched-pairs-analysis we finally examine the effects of the formation of these facilities on the establishments' personnel policy. All in all there are barely any differences between the development of those establishments and their counterparts (statistical twins). The findings support the view that firm specific forms of employee representation are a form of modern personnel policy rather than a functional equivalent to works councils." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Ellguth, P. (2009): Betriebsspezifische Formen der Mitarbeitervertretung - welche Betriebe, welche personalpolitischen Wirkungen? In: Industrielle Beziehungen, Vol. 16, No. 2, p. 109-135.