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The Flexible–Rigid Paradox of Employment Relations at Royal Mail (UK)
Author(s) -
Lucio Miguel,
Noon Mike,
Jenkins Sarah
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
british journal of industrial relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.665
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1467-8543
pISSN - 0007-1080
DOI - 10.1111/1467-8543.00163
Subject(s) - rigidity (electromagnetism) , dilemma , flexibility (engineering) , politics , sociology , business , economics , political economy , political science , management , engineering , law , mathematics , structural engineering , geometry
This article examines how flexibility and rigidity equally pose a dilemma for management and trade unions. It explores the issue by examining a range of features within the employment relationship at the Royal Mail in the UK. It seeks to demonstrate how, in practice, both management and trade unions can require, pursue and argue for different and competing combinations of flexibility and rigidity. It concludes that it is analytically more useful to examine the content and form of the ‘flexible–rigid mix’ and explore how this is mediated by political, social and operational/technical processes.