ABSTRACT
The areas with most scope for change include flexibility of task, working time and the development of alternative forms of contract. Payment systems are being changed to encourage and reward factors of more relevance to the organization. While economic and technological pressures lie behind many of the initiatives we describe in this book, they all raise critical industrial relations issues. In the successful planning and introduction of cost-effective initiatives within organizations, there appear to be several key issues. The focus of such activity is line management. Line managers are any organization’s key resource – in industrial relations as much as in other fields. Management development and training are vital parts of the organization’s strategy to improve operational efficiency. Industrial relations training will continue to have a role in equipping managers with the skills and knowledge to enable them to handle industrial relations issues effectively.
