National unions as organizations

Although the study of unions and their effects has a long history, only recently have researchers begun to analyze unions as organizations. In such studies, the union itself is a focus, rather than its effects or the behavior of individuals in relation to unions. Some key topics include union environments, goals, strategies, structures, and outcomes, including innovation and effectiveness. This paper reviews recent research in order to summarize current knowledge on national unions as organizations, and offers suggestions for further research. Particular attention is devoted to national unions, as they occupy a critical place in the network of union organizations. U.S. unions have faced serious challenges in recent decades, and their efforts to cope with these and adapt to their changing environments may have lessons for the study of organizations more generally.