ABSTRACT
The issue of employee voice and participation (EVP) has been one of the oldest areas of inquiry in the organisational behaviour and labour relations literature. Since the early 1980s, interest in EVP in Singapore has increased as a result of the national productivity movement launched by the government in 1981. This chapter ascertains empirically top executives' attitudes toward EVP in their organisations. The scope of EVP is just as important. Participation can be more or less extensive, depending on the scope and level of application. An important organisational factor affecting the extent to which human resources are viewed as strategic is company characteristics. Bureaucratic organisations are more likely to be so burdened with rules and regulations that there remains little chance for autonomy, self-expression, let alone effective participation. Organisational culture is a relevant factor as managers from companies where participation are prevalent are more likely to encourage their subordinates to involve in decision-making schemes.
