III. THE AMERICAN RESPONSE
American businesses opposed adoption of a policy on worker participation in the EU. A number of MNCs, under the leadership of Ford, formed a group in the early 1980s to oppose the famous Vredeling proposal for information and consultation of employees in MNCs. Some American consultants conducted scare campaigns against proposals in the European Community on employee rights. The hostility against EU social proposals became almost palpable in meetings of HRM managers. The proposals were considered to be a threat to traditional managerial prerogatives. Managers also argued that the proposal would increase both the cost and the complexity of doing business in Europe. Some leaders warned that American firms would disinvest in Europe if new social
proposals were adopted. The strident tone created a backlash against American tactics among some Europeans in Brussels. The response among US managers arose from philosophical as well as strategic difference between the business environment in the US and Europe. These differences are deeply ingrained and they will make it difficult for American MNCs to adopt the new Works Council Directive. The differences start with the fundamental differences between American and European capitalism which many scholars have noted and they lead to different approaches in HRM. (See for example Hodges and Woolcock, 1993, pp. 329-344) Works council are a 'natural' extension of continental labor practices, but appear to be an infringement on the 'natural' operation of the market to many American managers. American managers have few restraints on their authority to determine pay levels, lay-offs, plant relocations or 'down-sizing'. Neither labor unions nor legislation seriously inhibit their right to manage. In contrast, the majority of European employees have their pay determined by collective bargaining compared to about twenty percent in the United States. (Adams, 1995, p. 55) Many European employees must also be informed and consulted regarding plans to lay-off, relocate or 'down-size' an operation. The employee participation programs, which are popular in the United States, are not equivalent because they are a management prerogative and not a legal requirement as they are in Europe. The ratification of the Maastricht Treaty, with its opt out provision on social policy, made the adoption of the Works Council Directive a certainty. In that new era, American managers in the EU apparently changed their strategy. They did not openly oppose the proposal but rather left the initiative to UNICE, the European employers association. They rightly determined that UNICE would be able to gain concessions in the final version of the directive even if they could not block it. Since the adoption of the directive, the American managers have been quiet. More importantly they appear to be doing little to take advantage of the three year period in which they may negotiate voluntary agreements. Officials from both the Commission and the American Chamber of Commerce in Brussels agree on this point. Consequently American firms will have to institute works councils as directed by law in 1999. The final section of this paper cannot be completed at this time due to the disappointing number of responses to a questionnaire which was mailed to forty HRM directors. The purpose of the questionnaire was to ascertain whether the managers followed relevant developments in the EU and whether they had plans to implement the Works Council Directive. They were also asked whether the HRM policy of their MNC was global or decentralized. The responses which were received showed no discernible pattern except all indicated that EU policies were of moderate relevance to them. Half had plans to implement the Directive and half did not. All indicated that various EU policies such as health and safety affected their operation, each indicated a different set of policies. No pattern appeared in regard to the questions concerning globalization either. The main conclusion which I reached regarding the experience is that the information regarding the consequences of EU policies will be very difficult to obtain and will require personal interviews and probably repeated interviews. Since HR managers are affected by national laws, they are not always aware that the national laws derive from an EU directives. In addition, HR managers may not know about pending policies that are under discussion elsewhere in the corporate hierarchy. The findings of a field research effort would be fascinating to have. We know little about the impact of EU policies on the operations of American MNCs. The objective, however, will have to await a more ambitious program than is possible at this time.
III. THE AMERICAN RESPONSE
American businesses opposed adoption of a policy on worker participation in the EU. A number of MNCs, under the leadership of Ford, formed a group in the early 1980s to oppose the famous Vredeling proposal for information and consultation of employees in MNCs. Some American consultants conducted scare campaigns against proposals in the European Community on employee rights. The hostility against EU social proposals became almost palpable in meetings of HRM managers. The proposals were considered to be a threat to traditional managerial prerogatives. Managers also argued that the proposal would increase both the cost and the complexity of doing business in Europe. Some leaders warned that American firms would disinvest in Europe if new social
proposals were adopted. The strident tone created a backlash against American tactics among some Europeans in Brussels. The response among US managers arose from philosophical as well as strategic difference between the business environment in the US and Europe. These differences are deeply ingrained and they will make it difficult for American MNCs to adopt the new Works Council Directive. The differences start with the fundamental differences between American and European capitalism which many scholars have noted and they lead to different approaches in HRM. (See for example Hodges and Woolcock, 1993, pp. 329-344) Works council are a 'natural' extension of continental labor practices, but appear to be an infringement on the 'natural' operation of the market to many American managers. American managers have few restraints on their authority to determine pay levels, lay-offs, plant relocations or 'down-sizing'. Neither labor unions nor legislation seriously inhibit their right to manage. In contrast, the majority of European employees have their pay determined by collective bargaining compared to about twenty percent in the United States. (Adams, 1995, p. 55) Many European employees must also be informed and consulted regarding plans to lay-off, relocate or 'down-size' an operation. The employee participation programs, which are popular in the United States, are not equivalent because they are a management prerogative and not a legal requirement as they are in Europe. The ratification of the Maastricht Treaty, with its opt out provision on social policy, made the adoption of the Works Council Directive a certainty. In that new era, American managers in the EU apparently changed their strategy. They did not openly oppose the proposal but rather left the initiative to UNICE, the European employers association. They rightly determined that UNICE would be able to gain concessions in the final version of the directive even if they could not block it. Since the adoption of the directive, the American managers have been quiet. More importantly they appear to be doing little to take advantage of the three year period in which they may negotiate voluntary agreements. Officials from both the Commission and the American Chamber of Commerce in Brussels agree on this point. Consequently American firms will have to institute works councils as directed by law in 1999. The final section of this paper cannot be completed at this time due to the disappointing number of responses to a questionnaire which was mailed to forty HRM directors. The purpose of the questionnaire was to ascertain whether the managers followed relevant developments in the EU and whether they had plans to implement the Works Council Directive. They were also asked whether the HRM policy of their MNC was global or decentralized. The responses which were received showed no discernible pattern except all indicated that EU policies were of moderate relevance to them. Half had plans to implement the Directive and half did not. All indicated that various EU policies such as health and safety affected their operation, each indicated a different set of policies. No pattern appeared in regard to the questions concerning globalization either. The main conclusion which I reached regarding the experience is that the information regarding the consequences of EU policies will be very difficult to obtain and will require personal interviews and probably repeated interviews. Since HR managers are affected by national laws, they are not always aware that the national laws derive from an EU directives. In addition, HR managers may not know about pending policies that are under discussion elsewhere in the corporate hierarchy. The findings of a field research effort would be fascinating to have. We know little about the impact of EU policies on the operations of American MNCs. The objective, however, will have to await a more ambitious program than is possible at this time.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
