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Negociation and Transaction in a context of restructuring. The role of actors: trust and uncertainy
Robert, Jocelyne
20066 th Congress of the International Network Regional and local Development of Work and Labour "Labour and sustainable development"
 

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Keywords :
negociation; transaction; restructuring; Trust; uncertainty
Abstract :
[en] In the current context of globalization and industrial restructuring, we find it interesting to analyse a negotiation about a re-opening of a production site within a multinational enterprise. This negotiation between trade unions and management representatives was strategic for the revival of production activity and retention of 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. It allows us to illustrate the “structuration’ theory of Giddens (1990) insofar as we cannot ignore neither the importance of structures nor the actions of individuals; each element has an influence on the other and is influenced in return. In a first section, we analyse to what degree trade unions can be considered as ‘stakeholders’ by reviewing different theories of ‘Corporate social responsibility’ and of ‘Corporate Stakeholders’. Our analysis highlights the importance of trade unions as ‘corporate stakeholders’ in a situation of social negotiation on restructuring in a steel group. This analysis cannot however ignore the specific context of the situation: informal feature of the negotiation, unpredictability of the result, international competitive context, conflicting issues of the reorganisation. We present and analyse in the second section the context and the different stages of the negotiation on the reopening of activities at the Belgium steel plant, at the light of interviews with union representatives involved in this negotiation. More than other types of negotiation, those concerning corporate restructuring are stressing and risky because their impacts on the employment of thousands of persons and the economy of a whole region. We analyse the different stages of this negotiation with regard to ethical questioning. Our analysis is mainly based on the point of view expressed by one of the ‘parties’, making thus reference to ‘corporate social responsibility’ theory and more specifically to the ‘stakeholders theory’ through the union lens. We refer to the concept of ‘social transaction’ to analyse the play of the actors in this social negotiation. We will attempt to explain how Corporate Social Responsibility on one side, and relations between various 'stakeholders’ on the other side, give a specific perspective to a negotiation process. The third and final section is devoted to a critical analysis of key features of trust and uncertainty in relation to these negotiations. The concepts of trust and uncertainty notably will permit to explain the importance of taking into consideration the way of how things happen and understand how processes are elaborated. Modern societies are characterised by uncertainty. Faced with it, social actors can search for trust relationship to find some stability. Communication of information can positively contribute to the construction of a climate of trust in organisation. Negotiation spaces may be limited by important constraints but resources could be renewed or created by actors themselves. We will conclude by trying, doubtless in a utopian way, to situate the present case study in respect to a democratic process of social change. A search of compromise could respond to situations of uncertainty. Besides, the process of trust elaboration is a response to uncertain situations. Uncertainty is a fundamental resource of a negotiation and a source of power for those who can control and use it in their transactions.
Disciplines :
Human resources management
Author, co-author :
Robert, Jocelyne ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC-Ecole de gestion : UER > Management des organisations et leadership
Language :
English
Title :
Negociation and Transaction in a context of restructuring. The role of actors: trust and uncertainy
Publication date :
12 June 2006
Event name :
6 th Congress of the International Network Regional and local Development of Work and Labour "Labour and sustainable development"
Event organizer :
CRISES (Université du Quebec à Montréal), International Network Regional and local Development of Work and Labour , International sociological association (RC 10)
Event place :
Montreal, Canada
Event date :
Du 12 au 14 juin 2006
Audience :
International
Available on ORBi :
since 18 May 2010

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