INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY, BANGLADESH

School of Business
Course Title

Semester Course Code Section

Autumn 2019 MBA -543E Labor Relations & Collective Bargaining in 01
a Global Economy
MBA Program Course Outline

INSTRUCTOR’S DETAILS:

Instructor: Ziaur Rahman Class Time: Fridays ( 9:00 am to 12 pm)

Office: Class Room: 2023
Office Hours: Call and set
My SB ziaiitmsbe@iub.edu.bd
Address:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to provide students with issues, concepts and theories focusing on labor
relations & collective bargaining. In a complex work environment, many forms of labor relations have
to be designed to foster the right set of results. This course has been designed to deliver from the
perspective of practical issues pertaining to labor management, conflict resolution and guiding the
organization human resource forward. The organization and its people within have a social contract
and based on this contract the interactions and work activities flow within the organization. This course
is designed to dwell these interconnected issues and their roles in a global environment.

PREREQUISITE (IF ANY):

Open as per university policy.

COURSE POLICY:
1. Students are awarded some nominal points for class participation. No additional points are
awarded for attendance. Being attentive in class and engaging in a cross discussion approach is
encouraged.
2. There will be a mid-term and a final examination with at least 4-5 individual papers and 1 or 2
group submission. There will be a group presentation towards the end of the semester.
3. The reading materials for each class will be on contemporary topic and matters related to course
material.

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 4. Students needing additional input may call between 11 am and 10 pm excluding Thursdays,
Fridays and Saturdays.
5. Students must maintain the IUB code of conduct and ethical guidelines offered by the School of
Business.
6. Students must refrain from any type of cheating and/or plagiarism in a course. Any student
acting otherwise will receive an “F” grade in the course. School of Business, IUB, maintains a
zero-tolerance policy regarding violation of academic integrity.
7. Students are not allowed to keep bags, handouts, books, mobile phones, smart watches or any
other smart electronic devices with them during any exam. Students are advised to keep
everything in the front of the class room before the exam starts. Please note that, just carrying
any smart electronic devises (even if the devise is turned off or put it in silent mode) during the
exam will be considered as “cheating”. Moreover, during the exam, anything written on hand
palms (or anywhere else) and carrying paper materials (whatever is written) will be considered as
“cheating”. Any sorts of “cheating” will result in an “F” grade with no exception. During the exam,
students are only allowed to carry pen, pencil, eraser, sharpener, ruler, highlighter and calculator
in a clear plastic bag.

ASSESSMENT AND MARKS DISTRIBUTION:

Type of Evaluation Nos. Weight

Individual Assignments /Class 4-5 30
Participation
Project and Presentation (Group) 01 20
Virtual Classroom participation 10
Midterm Exam 01 20
Final Exam 01 20
Total 100%

[Class attendance is strongly recommended for obtaining marks for participation.]

GRADE CONVERSION SCHEME:

The following chart will be followed for grading. This has customized form the guideline provided by
the school of Business.

A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D F
90-100 85-89 80-84 75-79 70-74 65-69 60-64 55-59 50-54 45-49 0-44

* Numbers are inclusive

REQUIRED TEXT:
There will be no fixed book assigned. We shall use online resources mostly for this course. Please collect
material from Internet Sources on topics to discuss.

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 Link to virtual learning system: http://103.254.86.4/sb/ (School of Business – Faculty name-
Login as a guest- password is 1234).

MORE READINGS:

● Some suggested sources are: ocw.mit.edu (Go to Sloan School of Management), www.hbr.org,
www.mckinsey.com,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_bargaining, www.ilo.org,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_relations,http://www.whatishumanresource.com/collective-bargaining
● Resource from
https://www.slideshare.net/Wisnudewobroto/chapter-14-labor-relations-and-collective-bargaining
and areas
● All other supporting materials (e.g. academic research papers) will be provided in the class.

CLASS AND EXAM SCHEDULE, TOPIC AND READINGS:

Sessions Date Topic Learning Outcomes Readings

Session Labor and Labor & and organizing Course Outline
-1 Labor Labor: Labor Movement,
Relations Labor Rights, Trade
Unions, Strke Actions,
Labor Parties, Industrial
Relations, Labor
Economics, Labor History,
Labor Laws.
Labor Relations history
and current scenario
Handout and other available resources
Session Systematic To understand the whatishumanresource.com/collective-ba
-2 understanding collective bargaining is an rgaining
of Trade on going process and
unionism and expectations must be
collective periodically reviewed to
bargaining ensure a smooth
management, employee
and other stakeholder
interactions
Topics covered -Collective
Bargaining and Labor
Relations, Collective
Bargaining and
International Labor
Organization. Trade
Unionism, Collective

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 Bargaining, activities within
collective bargaining, its
process and
characteristics and
labor-management
relations
Norms and Power
Structures – Collective
Bargaining
Session Various To have clear idea about Notes on collective bargaining and TNCs and
-3 approaches to the common ways to material from the net. Class interaction and
collective promote collective case reviews
bargaining, Bargaining and various
scope and frameworks. Industrial
characteristics Relations three phases –
Science Building, Problem
Solving & Ethical.
Collective Bargaining,
Actors and their roles
Group project assignment
and discussion
Transnational corporation
and International Trade
Union Bargaining
Session- Employer and To understand Employer – Case - Pricing to create shared values
4 Employee Employee Relations and
Relations Interests. Class interaction and case reviews
Understanding of
diverse institutional
arrangements shaping the
employment
relationship—norms and
power structures on the
shop floor, employee voice
mechanisms in the
workplace, collective
bargaining arrangements
at various levels of public
policy and labor
law regimes to varieties
of capitalism (such
as corporatism, social
democracy,
and neoliberalism).
The Rise and Fall of
Saturn

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 The Kaiser Permanente
Labor-Management
Partnership
Session- Negotiation In class case discussion Handout and assigned material
5 and avenues on negotiations to succeed
of in a global environment
Negotiations and various tools,
strategies and approaches
to building wiin-win
negotiation process.
Negotiationg for strategic
success and discuss a few
real life negotiation
examples. Fordism and
Post-Fordism.

Excerpts from the article:

 Work and Labor in Global
Economies: The case of
Western Europe by Mario
Regini

Session- Organizational Organization behavior and Handout available on virtual learning system.
6 development, modern constructs to Class interaction and case reviews
Organizational survive the global
behavior & environment. Labor
Case relations and connected
Discussion organizational dynamics.
To understand the
conditions that may act as
a preventive deterrent to
negotiation and also
explore ways for resolution
of disputes. The culture
and approaches to a
favorable concept leading
to effective organizational
behavior.

Understand the variation in

culture affecting the
potential of an
organization.
Session- Midterm Exam CHAPTERS class
7 notes and material
circulated

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Session- Global To understand collective
8 Environment, agreements and the
Collective design of collective
Bargaining agreements.
and Trade
Organizations To understand how to
and interplay navigate in a complex
global environment,
especially centered around
managing and brining
disparate communities to
work together on a
common cause.
To explore of global
Human Resource
Engagement and interplay
of labor relations and
collective bargaining.
Session- Negotiating To explore in becoming a Handout available on virtual learning system
9 for succees better negotiator. Students
will pick a topic within in
class discussions and take
turns in being a good
negotiator.
Student will offer short
presentations.
Review of material on
Negotiation
To understand to navigate
in complex business
environment
Session Leadership in Understand what is meant Handout available on virtual learning system
-10 Negotiation by Leadership in
and Strategy Negotiation and how to
Framing turn tables in negotiations.
How Leadership works on
value proposition on
building a case for
organizational benefit,
To understand how firms
can benefit from leadership
focus through the interplay
of various issues around
labor policies, trade
unionism and other issues.

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Session Summary & To obtain a holistic view of Handout available on virtual learning system
-11 Group what is expected of
Presentation effective negotiator briing
knowledge, ideas and on
the spot decisions.
To understand the decision
making and collective
bargaining as a tool can
improve or sink an
organization.
Discuss local issues and
international cases on
relevant matters.
Discuss potential areas to
cover and issues to be
brought to light in class
room presentaiton.
Session Summary & To obtain a holistic view of Handout available on virtual learning system
-12 Group what is expected as an
Presentation effective negotiator having
a grasp of various issues
covered throughout the
semester.
Discussion of
presentations and
assessment.
Session Final Exam On contest shared in class Everything covered in the course but much
-13 or requested to study heavier emphasis will be on the material
online covered after the Mid Term

AUDIT:
Students who are willing to audit the course are welcome during the first two classes and are advised
to contact the instructor after that.

NOTE:
Plagiarism- that is the presentation of another person’s thoughts or words as though they were the
students’ own – must be strictly avoided. Cheating and plagiarism on exam and assignment are
unacceptable.

UNIVERSITY REGULATION AND CODE OF CONDUCT:

Please see the green book for further information about academic regulation and policies, including
withdrawal and grading, apples and penalties for pilgrims and academic misconduct.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:

Students with disabilities are required to inform the School of Business of any specific requirement for
classes or examination as soon as possible.

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