The purpose of this paper is to explore China’s labour dispute arbitration system reform through analysing the degree to which it has attained its stated objectives – notably…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore China’s labour dispute arbitration system reform through analysing the degree to which it has attained its stated objectives – notably, independence, justice, efficiency and professionalism – from the perspectives of the arbitrators, previously ignored in research on China.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper used a mixed research method using questionnaires and interviews. Questionnaires were sent to all full-time labour dispute arbitrators in Beijing, China with a useable response rate of 71 per cent. Additionally, qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 key stakeholders involved in the arbitration process.
Findings
Instead of establishing an impartial platform, the arbitration system endeavours to promote the state’s capacity to rule over labour relations. Its recent reform excluded arbitrational independence owing to concerns about reducing the Chinese Communist Party’s arbitrary power. Arbitrational justice was perceived to improve through case resolution efficiency, which made arbitrators minimise arbitration time, partly because of high caseloads but largely because of their key performance indicators. Quality of arbitration was compromised. The arbitrators understood the spaces and boundaries of the reform, and focused on increasing professionalism to enable them to more fluidly manoeuvre between the different political economic interests, above safeguarding labour rights.
Research limitations/implications
The questionnaire size was too small for regression analysis. Future research should expand the sample sizes and conduct cross-regional studies.
Practical implications
In 2008, China undertook an arbitrational system reform – probing its practical influence contributes to the authors understanding about the changing institutional environment of Chinese labour relations.
Originality/value
As a pilot study on labour dispute arbitrators, this research presents the dynamics of the Chinese labour dispute resolution mechanism.
Details
Keywords
Kyung Jin Cha, Taewon Hwang and Shirley Gregor
Despite much research on information technology (IT)-enabled organizational transformation (OT), there are still many issues to be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to fill…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite much research on information technology (IT)-enabled organizational transformation (OT), there are still many issues to be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by proposing an integrative model that includes specific transformation resources, capabilities, and outcomes pertaining to the success of IT-enabled OT.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the resource-based view, organizational learning theory, and business process reengineering, the authors developed an integrative model of IT-enabled OT. To validate this model, the authors conducted in-depth case studies of five firms that reported successful IT-enabled OT and five others that reported less successful.
Findings
This study offers three important findings. First, flexible IT and policies were found to be key transformation resources. Second, training, teamwork, leadership, and project ownership were identified as key transformation capabilities. Third, strategic outcomes such as responsiveness, customer satisfaction, and business scope were suggested as key transformation outcomes. The benefits realized by the less successful group tended to be limited to the operational level. Overall, the findings provide evidence that strategic benefits from the success of IT-enabled OT can be obtained by combining specific transformation resources and capabilities.
Originality/value
The results of this study make three contributions to the literature on IT-enabled OT. First, the authors shed light on the underlying mechanism by which specific transformation resources and capabilities lead to the improvement of specific outcomes. Second, IT-enabled OT has been conceptualized from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Third, the authors brought together the diverse literature on IT-enabled OT, presenting an empirically validated integrative model of IT-enabled OT.