Metochi, Melvina (1998) Mobilization and union leadership in labour organisations: The case of the public corporate sector in Cyprus. PhD thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science.
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Abstract
Mobilization within the industrial relations literature, has so far been considered in the context of campaigns aimed at mobilising individuals to participate in collective action. What is hereby proposed is an alternative approach to mobilization, one that emerged by considering existing approaches to mobilization in two main strands of literature: the literature on social movements, and the social-psychological literature on union participation. Mobilization is being conceptualised as the continuous process of transforming individuals into collective actors, following the socialisation of members into the organisation. This is also an attempt to introduce a quantitative element into the study of mobilization, as previous attempts have been restricted to case studies, which albeit valuable in providing insights into the mobilization process, do not provide a basis on which to formulate a proper theoretical framework that can be employed in different settings to explore the issue. The willingness to become involved in the union is employed as a measure of the outcome from such a process. Member attitudes are examined as the antecedents of willingness to participate within a mobilization setting. Significance is attached to the role of leaders as 'mobilising agents'. The impact of leadership behaviour on the outcome of the mobilization process is explored, an issue which has not as yet been empirically addressed. It is hypothesised that leadership will predict member attitudes and willingness to participate. This approach is tested in the public corporate sector, a setting representing an emerging form of unionism, one which raises a series of concerns and poses as a challenge for 'traditional' trade unions. The findings reveal the importance of leadership within a mobilization setting, in achieving and maintaining favourable attitudes towards the union, and influencing members' intention to become involved in the union. The findings also reveal a variation in leader attitudes and behaviours, as well as member responses, within different groups of unions, classified on the basis of their identity and structural characteristics. Furthermore, the most important predictors of willingness to participate within a mobilization setting are identified.
| Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Economics, Labor, Sociology, Industrial and Labor Relations, Sociology, Organizational |
| Sets: | Collections > ProQuest Etheses Departments > Economics |
| URI: | http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/2466 |
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