Abstract :
While there is a large body of academic debate surrounding human resource management
issues in multinational corporations (MNCs), industrial relations (IR) issues often fail to
receive the same degree of attention. This paper attempts to move the debate forward by
critically reviewing some of the key debates surrounding IR in an international context. First,
some key themes surrounding the comparison of industrial relations across borders and IR in
multinational companies are delineated and defined. Then, the reasons why an international
IR (IIR) perspective has been under-represented in the literature to date are considered. The
paper then explores the contribution which an IIR perspective can bring to the study of
management practices in MNCs. This is discussed in terms of IIR’s potential contribution as
an alternative analytical approach and also differences in its substantive coverage. The
impact of IR systems on MNC location and relocation decisions, key issues for employees,
trade unions and managers of MNCs, is then discussed as an example of the former. The
potential for, and evidence of, international collective bargaining as a potential counterbalance
to the power the MNC in the global environment is then considered as an example
of a differing area of substantive coverage of IIR. Finally, some avenues for potential study
are outlined.
