Ulrich JArgens – författare

New industrial centres are emerging in the so-called BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), where large numbers of plants have been constructed in recent years, creating many manufacturing jobs. But what does industrial work look like in these locations? Up until now, much of the interest in developing country industrialization has concentrated on the poor working conditions that characterize some export-oriented sectors in emerging economies, mostnotoriously in the garment industry. In contrast, the concern of this book is with the modern facilities of multinational or local manufacturers that reflect aspirations for a process of industrial upgrading that might foreshadow the future for these countries.The book provides an analysis of work, its context, and the situation of employees in plants in the BRICs focussing on three main questions:What differences and common features can be ascertained in a comparison both of countries and firms in terms of workplace HR management and production systems? What evidence is there for either a ''high road'' or ''low road'' developmental path in the BRICs? How are corporate standards implemented in these local contexts?The book addresses an academic audience as well as managers and trade unionists. For the former, it offers a systematic comparison of the four countries and the companies under study. For the latter, it offers a vivid account of challenges the companies face in the BRIC countries as well as the solutions adopted by the companies.

Corporate Governance, Employee Voice, and Work Organization explores the dynamic relations between corporate governance, employee voice, and the organization of work in the automotive supply industry. It reports on research undertaken in three countries--Germany, Sweden, and the United States--that has sought to explore and compare historical patterns of the relationships between changing governance regimes, voice, and work at plant level in an era of financialization. It also explores the prospects for high-road, sustainable jobs in the sector. Three detailed case histories from each of the countries are presented which contrast companies facing three different levels of exposure to capital markets: companies relatively sheltered from stock markets; companies that are highly exposed to them; and thirdly companies owned by private equity firms. This design allows for analysis not just across different national contexts but also within them, and questions the usefulness of the ''varieties of capitalism'' appraoch in understanding these differences. The cases show that governance compromises matter, that is, that recognising the role of employee voice in corporate governance regimes is essential in any comparative analysis and understanding of corporate governance.