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Is There a Third Way for Industrial Relations?
Author(s) -
Howell Chris
Publication year - 2004
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/j.1467-8543.2004.00302.x
Subject(s) - optimal distinctiveness theory , industrial relations , context (archaeology) , order (exchange) , industrial policy , government (linguistics) , economic system , coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , political economy , political science , economics , sociology , economic geography , market economy , management , geography , psychology , linguistics , philosophy , physics , archaeology , finance , quantum mechanics , psychotherapist
There has been little systematic analysis of what the ‘Third Way’ means in the sphere of industrial relations. This paper examines the record of the New Labour government in order to evaluate the distinctiveness, innovation and coherence of its industrial relations policy. It argues that many of the limitations of this policy result from the institutional context within which it was introduced. In comparative perspective, Third Way industrial relations can be thought of as a policy adaptation specific to centre–left governments in weakly co‐ordinated liberal market economies.