Exploring Individualism and Collectivism within Australian Universities: Procedural, Substantive and Process Elements of the Academic Employment Relationship

Abstract

Individualism, and its counterpart, collectivism, represent distinct choices in approaching the various elements of the employment relationship. These elements are the procedural element (methods used to negotiate the contract of employment); the substantive element (content of employment contracts); and the process element (human resource management efforts to manage labour beyond the contract of employment). The decision to approach these elements in an individual or collective manner may be driven by the strategic choices of management, but may also be motivated by factors which include: the product market, the market position of the organisation, organisational conditions, the supply of labour within the industry, and the influence of the union and the government upon the employment relationship. This thesis explores and explains the incidence of individualism and collectivism in the context of the Australian academic employment relationship. The higher education sector in Australia has long been a bastion of collectivism, featuring collective enterprise bargaining with a large degree of union involvement; collective enterprise agreements, which are detailed and standardised in their application to staff categories; and human resource management approaches which emphasise the development of staff above competitive advantage.