WORK1003

Week 8

The essay
 The essay question

The question:

‘The state's role in regulating employment relations should

be kept to a minimum. Most workplace matters should be left
in the hands of employers and employees’.
Critically evaluate this statement.
 Think about the basics: what must be done

The first thing to do is often to ask more questions:

› Define the terms.
› Understand what we mean by ‘critically evaluate’ – we do
want to know what you think.
› What are the assumptions in the statement in the essay
question?
› What is the logic of the statement?
› What are the implications of the statement?
 Do … do not …

› Do read deeply, widely.

› Do work from a plan.
› Do use reliable sources, begin with the textbook and the
refereed journals we suggest in the reading lists …
› … supplemented, where relevant, by topical material.
 Some possible approaches

› You do need to talk about theories of the state.

› You could also talk about theories of IR/ER.
› Discuss what the state actually does in employment relations; this could
draw on countries other than Australia.
› Idea/concepts like power, rights, fairness, collectivism, individualism might
be used.
› If we think through the logic of the second part of the statement, is it
saying something about the role for employer associations and still more
so unions?
 Some suggestions for initial reading
› Textbook, Chapters 1-2.
› Bray, M., Waring, P. & Cooper, R. (2009), Employment Relations: Theory and Practice, McGraw Hill,
Sydney, chapters 1-3.
› See the readings listed in the Outline.
› Plus:
- Giles A. (1989), ‘Industrial Relations Theory, the State and Politics’, in J. & K. Barbash (eds), Theories and Concepts in
Comparative Industrial Relations, University of Southern Carolina Press, Columbia, SC, pp. 123-54.
- Hyman, R. (2008), ‘The State in Industrial Relations’, in P. Blyton, N. Bacon, J. Fiorito & E. Heery (eds), The Sage
Handbook of Industrial Relations, Sage, London, pp. 258-83.
- Jessop, B. (2002), The Future of the Capitalist State, Polity Press, Cambridge.
- Keller, B. (1990), ‘The State as a Corporate Actor in Industrial Relations Systems’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 32, 2,
pp. 254-68.
- Treuren, G. (2000), ‘The Concept of the State in Australian Industrial Relations Theory’, Labour & Industry, 11, 2, pp. 75-
92.
› Think about what some important writers and organisations say about this question. Is there anything on
the websites listed in the Unit Outline? Use these carefully but you might want to look at what political
parties, employer groups, unions or think tanks say about this question.
› The reading that you do will be shaped by how exactly you approach the question. This means that you
should use these and other sources to locate other material that you want to use to develop you
argument.
 How to do it

Beforehand:
› Read the essay guide in the UoS Outline.
Planning:
› Think/plan/read.
› Write/read more.
Writing
› Write and re-write.
› Answer the question!
The structure
› There must be a synopsis; this is not the same as an introduction.
› In the essay itself, there must be a proper introduction, a clear argument,
a strong conclusion.
› Proof the essay well: using spell-check is good but it’s not enough.