Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

REALITY OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: DECIPHERING LABOUR UNREST IN INDIA

Kiran S. Sudha, M. G. Shahnawaz

Abstract


Despite a brief period of lull from late 1980s to early 1990s in the labor unrest in India, the last few years have seen unprecedented growth in it, with some cases even leading to the death of people. The growing incidence of labor unrest is indicative of the fact that all is not well with the Indian organizations. The present paper is aimed at exploring the possible causes of the major labour unrest in the past three years (2008-2011). The paper is also aimed at critically analyzing the main assumptions of HRM vis-à-vis these labour unrests.

Secondary data resources such as print media, internet, electronics media etc. have been used in this paper. Some of the causes of the unrests were-rigid and archaic laws, inequity in wages, lack of trust, crisis of leadership etc. Most of the assumptions of HRM such as congruence, commitment, collaboration, trust, transformational leadership etc was found missing.  Some were not even in sync with the realities of contemporary organizations and people. Like many critics of HRM, we too found the presence of the hard variant of HRM and HRM assumptions were appeared to be more “rhetoric” than reality.


Keywords


Industrial Relations, Labour Unrest, Employee Unrest, Assumptions of HRM, Soft and Hard HRM, Case Analysis.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Bhatnagar J, and Sharma A. (2005). “The Indian perspective of strategic HR roles and organizational learning capability”, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol.16(9), 1711-1739.

Blyton P, and Turnbull P. (eds). (1994). “Reassessing Human Resource Management”, Sage, London.

Deci EL, and Ryan RM. (2000). “The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior”, Psychological Inquiry, Vol.11, pp.227-268.

Delbridge R, and Turnbull P. (1994). In, Blyton P, and Turnbull P. (eds.). Reassessing Human Resource Management, Sage, London, pp.56-73.

Drucker P. (2002). “They’re Not Employees, They’re People”, Harvard Business Review, Vol.80, pp.70-77.

Economic Times Now. (2011). “Maruti Suzuki paid Shiv Kumar & Sonu Gujjar Rs 1 crore each, allege workers”, accessed on 5/02/2012 through http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-11-07/news/30369434_1_maruti-s-manesar-maruti-suzuki-india-corporate-governance

Fey CF, Bjorkman I, and Pavlovskaya A. (2000). “The effect of human resource management practices on firm performance in Russia”, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol.11(1), pp.1-18.

Foy H. (2011). “Labor unrest halts Maruti production, losses mount”, accessed on February 5 2013 through http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/10/14/idINIndia-59896420111014

Ghosh SK, Khabir ML, and Islam MT. (2008). “Predicting labour unrest though the lenses of theory of planned behavior: Cases from BEPZA”, BRAC University Journal, Vol.7(1,2), pp.23-32.

Graziano Workers' Solidarity Forum. (2008). “India: The dispute at Graziano- a chronology of events”, accessed on February 5 2012 through http://www.marxist.com/india-dispute-at-graziano-chronology.htm.

Guest DE. (1990). “Human resource management and the American dream”, Journal of Management Studies, Vol.27(4), pp.377-397.

Gurgaon Workers News. (2012). “Newsletter 47”, February, accessed on February 5 2012 through http://gurgaonworkersnews.wordpress.com/.

IBN Live India. (2008). “136 arrested, 13 booked for Noida CEO murder”, September 23 2008, accessed on February 5 2012 through http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ceo-lynching-136-held-13-booked-for-murder/74154-3.html.

Joseph J. (2012). In Madhawan N. “Why is he so angry?”, accessed on January 13 2013 through http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/bt-500-india-inc-grapples-with-growing-labour-unrest/1/189143.html.

Kalra SK. (2002). “Effective managerial leadership style in Indian context: Consultative style as one of the viable alternatives”, accessed on August 18 2012 through http://www.ila-net.org/Publications/Proceedings/2002/skalra.pdf.

Legge K. (1995). “Human Resource Management: Rhetorics and Realities”, Macmillan, Basingstoke.

Mas A. (2008). “Labour unrest and the quality of production: Evidence from the construction equipment resale market”, Review of Economic Studies, Vol.75, pp.229-258.

Polanki P. (2011). “Maruti strike: ‘Union will be independent, we won’t give up’”, accessed on February 2 2012 through http://www.firstpost.com/business/maruti-strike-this-union-will-be-independent-the-workers-will-not-give-up-124925.html.

Rectanus L, and Sylvia W. (2000). “Worker Protection OSHA: Inspections at Establishments Experiencing Labor Unrest”, United States General Accounting Office Washington, D.C. 20548-0001, accessed through http://www.gao.gov/new.items/he00144.pdf

Ryan L, and Macky KA. (1998). “Downsizing organisations: Uses, outcomes and Strategies”, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, Vol.36(2), pp.29-45.

Schuler RS, and Jackson SE. (1987). “Organizational Strategy and Organization Level as Determinants of Human Resource Management Practices”, Human Resource Planning, Vol.10(3), pp.125-141.

Sengupta S. (2011). “Speed and Control at Manesar: Why is the Maruti-Suzuki management keeping workers out of its factory”, accessed on February 2 2012 through http://kafila.org/2011/09/06/speed-and-control-at-manesar-why-is-the-maruti-suzuki-management-keeping-workers-out-of-its-factory/.

Sinha JBP. (1980). “The Nurturant- task leader: A model of the effective executive”, Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi.

Sinha JB. (2009). “Culture and Organizational behavior”, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Sodhi JS. (1996). “Industrial relations and human resources in India”, B.R. Publishing Corporation, Delhi.

The Times of India. (2011). “Strike at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant ends; 64 workers to be taken back”, May 21, accessed on February 5 2012, through http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Strike-at-Maruti-Suzukis-Manesar-plant-ends-64-workers-to-be-taken-back/articleshow/10438357.cms.

The Times of India. (2012). “Labour Laws need to be reviewed: PM”, accessed on February 8 2012 through http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-15/india/31062855_1_labour-laws-labour-reforms-labour-ministry. Twenge JM, and Campbell MS. (2010). “Generation Me and the changing world of work”, In, Linley PA, Harrington S, and Garcea N. (2010). (Ed). “Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology and work”, OUP, New York.

Truss C, Gratton L, Hope-Hailey V, McGovern P, and Stiles P. (1997). “Soft and hard models of human resource management: A reappraisal”, Journal of Management Studies, Vol.34(1), pp.53-73.

Twenge JM, and Campbell WK. (2001). “Age and birth cohort differences in self esteem: A cross-temporal meta-analysis”, Personality and Social Psychology Review, Vol.5, pp.321-344.

Twenge JM, and Im C. (2007). “Changes in the need for social approval, 1958-2001”, Journal of Research in Personality, Vol.41, pp.171-189.

Vaughan E. (1994). “The trial between sense and sentiment: A reflection on the language of HRM”, Journal of General Management, Vol.19(3), pp.20-32.

World Bank. (2008). “India Country Overview”, accessed on February 6 2012 through http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_labour_law.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Send mail to ijmss@ijmss.com with questions or comments about this web site. 

International Journal of Management and Social Sciences, All rights reserved.