Labour markets and employment relations in transition: the case of German unification
Examines some of the radical changes in labour markets and employment relations in the former German Democratic Republic (DDR) immediately following German unification and identifies a large degree of continuity in management personnel but an almost total replacement of union officials. Concludes that, while unification has undermined some of the characteristics of the employment relations system, stronger pressures for change are arising from the impact of global competitive pressures in the German economy. The system is likely to be subject to evolutionary modification rather than radical change.
Living with the Euro: the consequences for world business
This paper evaluates the impact Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) will have upon world business. The impact upon the European business environment includes potential benefits of a low inflation, low interest rate zone, contrasted with problems of incomplete prior convergence and a deflationary bias at the heart of the EMU model. 'Micro' consequences include intensified competitive pressures, completion of the single market and industrial restructuring, tensions in labour relations between supra-national corporatism and decentralised flexibilisation, the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), together with estimated cost of transition. The paper concludes by warning businesses that inaction increases vulnerability, whilst preparedness maximises potential gains.
Social reporting and the future of a united Germany
Abstract Social reporting is the monitoring of living conditions and perceptions of their importance and quality as evaluated by individual citizens. It is a persuasive approach for assessing a society's development and state of social affairs. It is attractive as a methodology because of its sound theoretical and broad empirical bases; it also provides insights accumulated over time and thus allows for prospective reflection. The unification of Germany provides a rare opportunity not only to observe the process of societal integration but also to reconsider some of the theoretical and methodological social reporting issues involved. In this article the authors describe the activities of their working group on social reporting and recent findings. They discuss the implications of these findings for the future of the newly united Germany.