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Foreign owners and the quality of industrial relations in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Verena Dill
  • Uwe Jirjahn
Abstract
German works councils provide a highly developed mechanism for codetermination designed to increase trust and cooperation within firms. This study examines whether or not the functioning of works councils depends on the type of ownership. Comparing domestic- and foreign-owned firms in Germany, the article finds that works councils and managers in foreign-owned firms are less likely to cooperate. The finding fits the notion that the activities of foreign multinational companies can involve tensions with the institutional framework of the host country.

Suggested Citation

  • Verena Dill & Uwe Jirjahn, 2017. "Foreign owners and the quality of industrial relations in Germany," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 38(1), pages 5-25, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:38:y:2017:i:1:p:5-25
    DOI: 10.1177/0143831X14557842
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    Cited by:

    1. Uwe JIRJAHN & Stephen C. SMITH, 2018. "Nonunion Employee Representation: Theory And The German Experience With Mandated Works Councils," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(1), pages 201-233, March.
    2. Uwe Jirjahn, 2021. "Foreign ownership and intra-firm union density in Germany," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 42(4), pages 1052-1079, November.
    3. Laszlo Goerke & Markus Pannenberg, 2024. "Wage determination in the shadow of the law: The case of works councilors in Germany," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 45(1), pages 83-115, February.
    4. Uwe Jirjahn & Jens Mohrenweiser & Stephen C Smith, 2022. "Works councils and workplace health promotion in Germany," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 43(3), pages 1059-1094, August.
    5. Askenazy, Philippe & Breda, Thomas, 2020. "Electoral Democracy at Work," IZA Discussion Papers 13226, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Uwe Jirjahn, 2017. "Globalisierung und betriebliche Mitbestimmung," Research Papers in Economics 2017-05, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    7. Uwe Jirjahn, 2015. "Research on Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining in Germany: The Contribution of Labor Economics," Research Papers in Economics 2015-10, University of Trier, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Codetermination; cooperation; corporate globalization; foreign ownership; works council;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General
    • J53 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence

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