NCJ Number
95797
Journal
Industrial Relations Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1981) Pages: 129-148
Date Published
1981
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This review of the literature that has evaluated the impact of compulsory arbitration assesses the extent to which the methodologies and research designs used permit valid conclusions.
Abstract
Research on the effects of arbitration has focused mainly on the extent to which it inhibits genuine collective bargaining, almost to the exclusion of all other criteria. Therefore, few strong conclusions can be reached concerning its overall impact. Laboratory studies typically modeled on private-sector arbitration experiences and nonexperimental field research based on public-sector arbitration experiences produced different and even contradictory results, possibly because of different assumptions in the study designs. The case studies of arbitration schemes have produced indepth descriptions of the factors which influence the operations of these systems. This knowledge, along with preliminary attempts to build a theory of the determinants of collective bargaining impasses, should allow researchers to specify models that control for other factors which may affect the probability of an impasse besides the nature of the arbitration scheme. Methodology recommendations are offered for future impact studies. Tabular data, footnotes, and 61 references are provided.