Industrial relations in smaller countries: Introduction

This issue of the Jounral introduces the first of what the editors hope will be a regular series of synoposia on industrial relations topics of special relevance to our predominantly New Zealand readers, but also to those abroad. The first topic "Industrial relations in smaller countries" was chosen because the editors hoped that it would allow a comparison of how some smaller countries have developed their industrial relations systems to cope with the problems that small size creates. The four countries represented: Austria, NorWay, Switzerland and the Republic of Ireland are all apparently similar to New Zealand in certain obvious aspects. These include their small populations, a high percentage of G.D.P. involved in foreign trade and the fact that they all are developed, western, democratic societies with a high standard of living.