Posted: September 16th, 2017

Employment Relations in Globalised Economies

Employment Relations in Globalised Economies

Order Description

Course is : Employment Relations in Globalised Economies

Attached is an overview of Topics 8 and 9 on China – you should review this first. It will lead you through the topic activities (readings, reflection, discussion board) and guide you to the other resources for this topic.
Also attached are two presentations which should give you a good overview of the main points on each topic. They include current data and additional references to broaden your understanding of the topic.
Within the presentations there is information to guide you to several short news clips on various issues relation to ER in China – worth checking out, particularly if you’re very unfamiliar with the context. You might also borrow/buy a copy of one of the recently published and excellent edited books on Chinese employment relations (ie. Kuruvilla, Lee and Gallagher (2011) eds; and Sheldon et al (2011) eds) – full references for both in 6. References in the Topic document).
There are three required readings for these two topics – one is the chapter on China from the textbook; the second gives an overview of recent changes in ER in China; the third is an article on discrimination at work, which looks specific at gender discrimination and discrimination against temporary migrants.
Finally you will find the three parts of the Discussion Board Exercise on Collective Bargaining at the Citizen Watch Factory in Shenzhen. Do take my advice and do Part I before you read Part II, and do Part II before you read Part III? It won’t affect your mark, but it will interesting for you to compare what you would propose, with what the participants actually did.

Topics 8 and 9 – China – Overview and 4 ER issues

Topics 8 and 9: Monday 23 March to Sunday 5 April
Exercise: Collective bargaining at the Shenzhen Citizen Watch Factory
The source of this exercise is:
China Labour Bulletin (2012) Collective Bargaining at the Shenzhen Citizen Watch Factory, 26 January 2012, http://www.clb.org.hk/en/files/share/File/general/Collective_Bargaining_at_Shenzhen.pdf, sourced 20 March 2014
The original case study has been split into three parts, with a question associated with each part. Only the questions related to the first two parts are assessable – the third is for your interest only.
You may, of course, read them all at once. But the exercise is more interesting (and more instructive) if you complete answer the question for one part before you move on to the next.
Allocate yourself to the role of EITHER a factory manager OR a worker representative.
Read Part I of the case study and answer the following questions:
In your role as factory manager OR worker representative,
(a) What rules/guidelines would you suggest in relation to the highlighted issues?
(b) What are some rules on which there may be some disagreement between the parties, and why?

Now read Part II of the case study and, still in the same role as EITHER factory manager OR worker representative, answer the following question:
(c) What do you think would be a reasonable final offer from the factory managers? Why?
For your own interest, read and think about Part III?
This Discussion Board topic will close at 12 midnight on Sunday 5 April.