Developing an Analytical Approach to Industrial Relations Policy Available to Purchase

This paper proposes a definition of industrial relations policy and suggests an analytical framework to help towards an understanding of such policy. The framework draws on three crucial distinctions: that between the “espoused” policy and the “operational” policy; that bet ween the different roles management may play in in dustrial relations policy as instigators, implementers and facilitators; and, finally, between the “content” and the “features” aspects of policy. Case study material il lustrates these distinctions in both on‐going and change situations. Finally, some conclusions are drawn from the analysis.