International Comparative Employee Relations

The Role of Culture and Language

Edited by Karl Koch, Emeritus Professor of Modern Languages, Business School, London South Bank University, UK and Visiting Professor, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China and Pietro Manzella, Senior Research Fellow, Association for International and Comparative Studies in the field of Labour Law and Industrial Relations (ADAPT, www.adapt.it), Italy

Employee relations in national contexts are significantly influenced not only by material forces but also by cultural and linguistic factors that are often highly nationally specific. In this innovative book, culture and language are analysed in terms of how they affect employee relations internationally, demonstrating the importance of recognising and understanding these elements in the face of increasing globalisation.

‘This excellent volume provides fascinating insights into the context-bound meaning of comparative employee relations. It shows that when terminology associated with employee relations travels across societal, cultural and language boundaries, the meaning is transformed. The contributions shed light on the metaphorical and interlingual translation of employee relations in different national contexts. The book also provides a solid conceptual foundation for comparative research in this important field. I was very impressed by the unique perspective adopted in this book.'
– Rebecca Piekkari, Aalto University School of Business, Finland

‘The complex interplay between beliefs, concepts, rhetoric and the social realities of work is a seriously under-researched area of industrial relations. Karl Koch and Pietro Manzella have performed a great service in compiling this wide-ranging survey of the issues involved [...] This book will help us all reduce the risks of becoming lost in translation.'
– from the Foreword by Richard Hyman, London School of Economics, UK