Contracting out and the cleaning-up question

Article Abstract:

Contracting out for public services (refuse collection, catering, street cleaning) raises a variety of personnel management challenges. The main advantage of using outside contractors is that it saves labor costs, but employees tend to suffer in the process. Sometimes public sector staff are given the chance to compete with contractor prices, but some personnel managers believe that competitive tendering has a negative effect on conditions and pay, employment opportunities for the disadvantaged, labor relations, and staff morale. Other personnel managers feel that competitive tendering enhances their bargaining position with unions, improves productivity, and can bring restrictive practices to an end. Transitions from in-house to contract work arrangements are discussed. Discussion is also presented of the increasing concentration of contractors among a small number of large, multinational firms.

Contracts, Municipal services, Outsourcing, Cleaning services industry

---

Participative management in Northern Mexico: a study of maquiladoras

Article Abstract:

A study of 54 maquiladoras or foreign-owned production plants in Northern Mexico found a link between participative management and lower staff turnover and higher performance. Participative management is common in US organisations, and the study showed that workers in Northern Mexico also respond favourably to this approach, in spite of the more paternalistic culture within the Northern Mexican workplace. This suggests that the participative management approach may be insensitive to cultural differences and can therefore be applied equally to Northern Mexico.

Employee Relations, Mexico, Labor relations, Participatory management

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Maquiladoras challenge human resources. How to calculate the cost of human resources. Human resources: preparing for the next century
• Abstracts: The human resource potential of Americans over 50. Self-renewal of the Japanese firm and the human resource strategy
• Abstracts: Communications enhancement: a process dividend for the organization and the HRM department. From surface to deep corporate entrepreneurship
• Abstracts: Canada Housing and Mortgage surmounts plateauing. Is your business temporary ready? Travelers come home to temporary housing
• Abstracts: Your learning technology primer. BT Systems take learning abroad. Emotional barriers to learning

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.