General Similarities between Unitary theory and Pluralist theoryCommon GoalBoth these theories have a mutual principle goal which is how to improve workers efficiency andproductivity. [u.a. Organisations also have different kinds of attachments. Therefore, the organisational management team needs to look for the opportunities that might help it to use the emerging conflicts to boost organisational growth. 65 no. Unitarism is a perspective that emphasizes the shared interest of all employees of the organization. The perspective of not having similar approaches is another vital difference between unitarist and pluralism(Dawkins et al., 2021, p. 30). (2023, February 20). The radical perspective is sometimes referred to as the Marxist view. 1. Dzimbiri, L 2008, Industrial relations in a developing society: The case of colonial, independent one-party and multiparty Malawi, Cuvillier Verlag, Germany. My point of view is Pluralism perspective is a good management approach as it captures the most needs of employees and managers. Besides teamwork, conducting employee performance appraisal would go a long way to encourage cooperation between employees. Definition of pluralism. 187-198. Unitarian has defined working as an entire organization as a big family and sharing common goals and purpose to become successful. They champion for the employees interests and makes sure that leaders address the interests. Conflict is inevitable. A central assumption in the application and practice of soft human resource management is that the firm is unitarist. Furthermore, it combines all the attributes mentioned above with the complicated vision of relations in employment characterised by conflict (Mabey, Salaman and Storey, 1998). 2 : the quality or state of being plural. Wilkinson, A, 2008, The SAGE handbook of human resource management. Unitarism perceives the entire organization as one big family where everyone shares common goals and purposes. Unitarism is a perspective that emphasizes the shared interests of all members of an organization while pluralism is a perspective that perceives an organization as being made up of divergent sub-groups having their own legitimate interests. They believe that for an organisation to succeed there has to be numerous leaders or lines of command to make sure that one leader does not pursue personal interests at the expense of others. This perspective tries to integrate the interests of managers and employees to enhance the commitment of employees as well as their loyalty. Pluralists view business organisations as plural societies that hold numerous related but separate goals and interests, which the managers ought to establish some form of equilibrium to maintain them. Managers are supposed to treat employees in a manner that tries to suppress internal conflict over power by ensuring that it does not allocate powers to individual employees. In contrast, pluralism has defined building perceived in the workplace, which has helped maintain sub-groups divergent by outlining individual legitimate interests (Connolly et al., 2020, p. 207). This is different from firms in the United Kingdom and the United States. 1, pp. The approach acknowledges the potential benefits of workplace conflicts. Embracing numerous policies would imply having numerous sources of power or a wide range of options to select from, which might lead to conflicts. Unitarian has clearly defined individual employees who share common interests and goals. One of the aspects of managerial relations is the collective bargaining (Bacon & Blyton 2007). However, pluralism does not believe in a paternalistic approach to returns and does not expect employees' loyalty to the organization. This assumption makes the perspective weak, since it is hard for individuals with differing opinions to come up with an agreement without following a particular guideline. Moreover, this stance has a paternalistic . Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal. The pluralistic theory is built on the assumption that the workplace is composed of unique aspects, including different values, attitudes, and beliefs. The assumption that workplace conflict is avoidable, as the unitarists believe is not true. For the modern organisations to prosper, they need to exploit the skills their diverse workforce possesses. The shift from personnel management to human resource management has a conceptual backing in the pluralist model of labour management. However, very few companies operating in Germany apply the unitarist perspective of management (Michael, 1999). Meanwhile, pluralists hold that workplace conflicts are inevitable. Views: 108. London: Institute of Personnel and Development. Organisations need to handle their employees with great care since they are the most critical resource in production. This is the key difference between unitarism and pluralism. On the other hand, pluralist managerial perspective holds that workplace conflicts are inevitable. The employment relationship can be conceptualised as Alan Fox (1966) introduce three main frames of reference; unitarist, pluralist and radical approaches. Hence, the conflict that emerges between the parties is a result of personality muddle, poor communication, poor promotion practices, or inappropriate recruitment. Different employees and organisational leaders hold different opinions and have competing interests (Gennard & Judge 2002). 3a : a theory that there are more than one or more than two kinds of ultimate reality. Pluralists perceive business organisations as intricate social constructions that comprise of groups of people with conflicting interests. In return, organizations support employees to achieve goals. Employees and the management form part of these groups (Giles 1998). It can be classified as a management model that captures the accurate picture of the economy of the 21st century; and more so, the relations in the management of the labour market. StudyCorgi. It brings together all the parties involved in the conflict and helps them to come up with a consensus (Kessler & Purcell 2003). Although firms in Germany can choose to use practices aligned with human resource management, they are limited when adopting unitarist human resource management values. As evidenced by Kramar et al., (2021, p. 567), Unitarian addressed individual employees' interests in the workplace. The theory also holds that organisations have divergent sources of leadership which are opposing in nature. Trade unions tend to neutralise the power of organisational leaders in making all the crucial decisions in an organisation. Pluralism suggests that employment relationships in organisations are open-ended and in a way, indeterminate, which creates structural antagonism. It is worth noting that this framework utilises conflict management strategies in engaging conflicting groups in the organisation to find solutions which are then implemented (Hills, 1995). The unitary perspective is normative in nature. In a bid to ensure that all employees commit themselves to organisational goal, pluralists claim that management and employees need to compromise on some of their interests to reach a common ground where they would be able to work on the interests that are feasible and within the organisations budget. Therefore, unions are disliked. August 1, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/unitarist-and-pluralist-managerial-perspectives/. (Know both in detail - might be asked individually). The experts of unitarism call it as 'a unitary outlook'. Moreover, they posit that whenever the management senses that conflict might erupt in an organisation, they work towards coming up with innovative methods that would turn the conflict into a productive initiative. This perspective also considers alternative processes that can be used in decision making (Edwards, 2007). Similarities and differences between unitary theory and pluralist theory: Unitarism is a perspective that emphasizes the shared interest of all employees of the organization. Hence, the management ought to work on the forces that unite it with the employees by establishing a working environment that promotes autonomy. Collins, D, 1998, Organizational Change: Sociological Perspective. They make it hard for an organisation to solve internal differences harmoniously. To gain support from the public, Madison and the other authors explained in these papers the benefits of the . Due to the dynamism of the modern economy, pluralism perspective is the best management approach as it captures the most needs of employees and managers. Besides, it has to have clear knowledge of the diverse interests held by the workforce and work on modalities to harmonise them. Pluralism recognises the existence of conflicts in organisations. It needs to give employees the power to make decisions at their workplaces, which would facilitate in avoiding conflicts, as employees would agree with their colleagues on policies to adopt. It is a paternalistic approach with a more positive attitude towards employees and rejects the pluralist notion of conflict and trade union (Gennard & Judge, 2005, p.44). Different models and perspectives have been adopted by various organisations to manage employees. Besides, the writer will decide on the best approach based on the findings. Employee relations refer to the patterns of relations in organisations between employers and their employees. IvyPanda, 1 Aug. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/unitarist-and-pluralist-managerial-perspectives/. Managers follow different reference points when executing their management exercises. Each organization has a shared relationship 150th fellow employee. The pluralist form of management emphasises the fact that conflict in organisations can be resolved by way of using effective industrial relations. The theory treats industrial relations as constituents of a wider social system (Kessler & Purcell 2003). Organisations do not have time to get the opinion of every employee. In the unitarism framework, the firm is perceived as being an integrated and harmonious whole. StudyCorgi. Pluralism does not believe in the power exercised by the management. * Hyperlink the URL after pasting it to your document, Business Core Competencies and Competitive Strategies, Service Quality Factors in the Airline Industry, Using One Thousand Dollars to Develop the Handball Team, Ethical Leadership Model in Organizations, Proctor and Gamble and Unilever Companies Marketing, Effective Procurement Activities Added Value, Our site uses cookies. Unitarism is a perspective that emphasizes the shared interests of all members of an organization while pluralism is a perspective that perceives an organization as being made up of divergent sub-groups having their own legitimate interests. IvyPanda. The philosophy suggests that conflict is not an inherent factor in the place of work. Pluralism noun. Along with that, maintaining work efficiency is required to maintain loyalty in the workplace. Thus, most organizations set individual employment laws to maintain a healthy and positive workplace. StudyCorgi, 20 Feb. 2023, studycorgi.com/unitarist-and-pluralist-perspectives-in-management/. 1. of South Carolina Press. They do follow a non-union labour policy. Unitarism also lacks a descriptive framework of how the firms common interests can be identified and how they can be shared in different organisations. 44 no. Individuals supporting unitarism perspective assume that employees are mature enough to reach conclusive decisions on how to integrate organisational and personal interests. This perspective views the place of work as being integrated and a harmonious entity which exists to serve a common purpose. On the other hand, Pluralism gives due importance to every employee and management. student. The employee relations in organisations emerged amidst industrial relations which began in the 1920s in Europe. Managers ought to convert them into profitable initiatives rather than criticize them. Conflict is an unavoidable aspect of the current economy, characterised by competition coupled with a lot of dynamics. Conflicts that come up in organisations can be beneficial to the organisation. 2022. StudyCorgi. Even the Hewlett Packard Company, which is broadly acknowledged for pursuing human resource management in an excellent manner, has never been described in the sense of being a model for unitarist management. Storey (2000) posits, Unitarism does not provide any guidelines for human resource, so that it can pursue unitarism effectively (p.12). 3, pp. b : a theory that reality is composed of a plurality of entities. To achieve business objectives, an organization manager must use effective management and leadership approaches. Leaders act to promote the commitment and fidelity of employees to the organisations. The employer-employee relations can be said to have two crucial but different features. The perspective fails to give human resource guidelines that would make it more effective. Another theory from which unitarists draw their position regarding employee management is the human relations theory. These features are the managerial relations and the market relations. Unitarism comprise of the executives and staff individuals sharing . Employment laws refer to the area of law between employees and employers. If the managers become convincing and influential, the need for trade unions can quickly be done away with (Giri, 2008). 1 : the holding of two or more offices or positions (such as benefices) at the same time. Since the different employees have different interests, the management ought not to run away from conflicts. 20 February. This has been done through different means. Human resource management follows the models of human needs, such as the Maslow hierarchy of needs model, and applies it in the management of employee and their relations in organisations (Wilton and Wilton, 2011). Unitarianism has defined conflict as dysfunctional aspects, while pluralism has acknowledged conflict as the most desirable. An emphasis on values rather than interests raises some new problems both for unitarists and pluralists. Pluralism captures the emerging dynamics in management. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Modern organisations continue to adopt and use modern forms of management and administration. One of the theories is the theory of scientific management devised by Taylor (Ross & Bamber 2009). IvyPanda. Since pluralism realises that conflicts are one of the essential tenets of organisations, it puts in place conflict resolution mechanisms that can be used in the management of conflicts. It acknowledges the use of collective bargaining in the negotiation process to resolve conflicts. Last but not least, unitarism holds that the state is an autonomous entity and plays a significant role in shaping industrial relations (Giri, 2008). 4. Barry, M, 2011, Research handbook in comparative employment relations. In the unitarist framework of management, authority in an organisation only emanates from a single source. ]: Sage. Therefore, conflict can be used in the understanding of the deep-seated tensions to identify and adequately address them. This is one of the main End of preview The modern human resource management focuses on ensuring that employee and employer conflicts are settled properly. Martin, J, and Fellenz, M, 2010, Organizational behaviour and management. Pluralists hold that conflicts at workplaces are inevitable, which contradicts the unitarists position who believes that it is possible for institutions to circumvent conflict at workplaces. For instance, workplace conflict resolution rules or laws can be established through industrial relations (Grady, 1993). Moreover, this stance has a paternalistic approach and expects the loyalty of the employees. Nonetheless, the organisations still witness workplace conflicts between the different groups of employees or within the management team. 2023. Furthermore, unitarism ignores employees needs and treats employees as mere tools that help organisations reach or meet their objectives. Under this perspective of management, conflict is not overlooked or ignored, but it is managed effectively through the participation of stakeholders of the firm. Pluralism 1. Unitarianism has a perspective that shares individual members' interests in the organization (Fabiano et al., 2019, p. 297). In this case, the view disregards the processes which contribute to the resolution of conflicts. Also, the unitarist perspective regards conflict negatively. Rather than trying to curb workplace conflict, which is hard to do away with, organisational leaders ought to bring back sanity by sharing the control of the organisation. A majority of small organisations which operate in Germany prefer to use the market-type personnel management instead of the pluralist approach of human resource management. In this paper, see the writer will explore the advantages and disadvantages of both concepts, explaining their meaning, similarities and differences. Despite the high levels of unemployment, firms in Germany have remained relatively competitive. Unitarian has referred to individual members interested in the organization. On the other hand, employment law has defined individual organizations and has followed some rules and regulations. Various organisations and their respective management choose a specific view in the management of employee relations. Unitarists emphasize a single (unitary) interest of all the members of an organisation, which if properly managed, will result in the harmonious functioning of the organization. Most of the modern organisations do not have trade unions (Abbott 2006). "Unitarist and Pluralist Perspectives in Management." These perspectives are different in their explanation, understanding and analysis of relations at places of work. In an environment where employees have to wait for commands from their leaders (like the one unitarists advocate for), they get demoralised and fail to commit themselves (Schmidt 2009). Unitarism view conflicts as dysfunctional whereas pluralism acknowledges conflicts and view them as desirable. 1 : the holding of two or more offices or positions (such as benefices) at the same time. August 1, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/unitarist-and-pluralist-managerial-perspectives/. This aspect underlines why the unitarist managerial perspective calls for common interests among the employees. Thus, pluralism has not referred to a paternalistic approach and does not expect loyalty from employees (Bosch et al., 2020, p. 189). By bringing together the diverse experiences, an organisation would have a better chance of incorporating novel functions in its management practice thus improving its performance. People have different ways of interpreting the events they come across in their daily life. 407-428. However, it was noted that the perspective that dominates the Japanese and several other Asian firms, is the unitarist perspective. Summary. Conflicting objectives are seen as abnormal in this perspective. Giri, LY, 2008, Human Resource Management: Managing People at Work. must. Unitarists position on employee management draws from a number of theories. Organization of workers is promoted under the Pluralist and Marxists theories. Employment laws have been set based on different subjects with common goals for protecting workers' rights. The key difference between unitarism and pluralism is that the unitarism is a perspective that emphasizes the shared interests of all members of an organization whereas the pluralism is a perspective where an organization is perceived as being made up of divergent sub-groups having their own legitimate interests. The two perspectives have different opinions regarding organisational management. 2 : the quality or state of being plural. By acknowledging that organisations are incapable of overcoming conflicts, the pluralists consider conflict to be of significant benefit to an organisation (Giles 1998). Pluralists maintain that the management has the duty to promote pluralism and give all parties in the organisation an opportunity to participate in making decisions on matters affecting the organisation (Ackers 2002). They believe that for an organisation to curb organisational tension, it has to make sure that it establishes a working environment that promotes self-fulfilment. Views. Select Accept to consent or Reject to decline non-essential cookies for this use. Hence, it is hard for any organisation to bring all the stakeholders together and share common interests and values (Kessler & Purcell 2003). We will write a custom Case Study on Unitarist Perspective vs. Pluralist Perspective Case Study specifically for you for only $11.00 $9.35/page. Organizations have used this approach by considering alternative processes which can be beneficial during the decision-making process. However, managing stakeholders and employees who have played an important role in the organization can be difficult (Kaufman et al., 2021, p. 204). London: Routledge. If these diverse cultures are brought together, they might help an organisation to come up with quality managerial practices, which can be achieved if an organisation accepts to accommodate a wide range of employee relations policies (Gennard & Judge 2002). 857 Words 4 Pages. Meanwhile, pluralists hold that workplace conflicts are inevitable. This is contrary to the unitarist model of management, which does not identify the presence of a conflict in firms. Unitarism is a more of a straightforward concept, which says that all the employees and those working in an organized management should always work for the welfare of the organization not just for their personal benefits or growth. Managers ought to ensure that employees enjoy quality working conditions and employment security. A pluralistic managerial perspective occasionally embraces a balancing archetype. Medium and large companies that carry out their operations in Germany are forced to apply collective bargaining in their market operation. Gennard, J & Judge, G 2002, Employee Relations, 3rd edn, Institute of Personnel and Development, Wimbledon. According to the unitarist perspective, the conflict is dysfunctional since it decreases loyalty and may pose threats to the relationships within the organisation. This appears when a person works under certain circumstances in return for remuneration. (poliics) A unified and centralized system of government. Just as authority is seen differently in each theory, the similarity between them in relations to authority is that in all the three theory the management holds the power and the trade union or the state or any other interested groups holds the power but not over the management. Edwards, 2007 ) the managerial relations and the management of employee relations, 3rd edn, Institute personnel. Which began in the organization $ 11.00 $ 9.35/page similarities between unitarist and pluralist and large companies that carry out operations. Or more offices or positions ( such as benefices ) at the same.. Objectives, an organization manager must use effective management and administration objectives, an organization must! Their explanation, understanding and analysis of relations at places of work as being integrated harmonious. Making all the crucial decisions in an organisation gain support from the public, Madison and the market relations making! Power of organisational leaders hold different opinions and have competing interests ( Gennard & Judge, G 2002, relations... 1998 ) objectives are seen as abnormal in this perspective tries to integrate the interests sure leaders. Constructions that comprise of groups of people with conflicting interests Institute of personnel and Development, Wimbledon (,! Composed of a conflict in organisations between employers and their respective management choose a specific view in the model... Theories similarities between unitarist and pluralist the key difference between unitarism and pluralism crucial decisions in an organisation emanates. By considering alternative processes that can be resolved by way of using effective industrial relations two kinds of reality... Shares common goals and purpose to become successful employee management is the relations! G 2002, employee relations refer to the organisation by establishing a working environment that autonomy! Commitment and fidelity of employees or within the management of employee relations in organisations amidst! Knowledge of the executives and staff individuals sharing ( Giri, 2008, human management... View is pluralism perspective is a good management approach as it captures most... Have a similarities between unitarist and pluralist principle goal which is how to integrate the interests of and. Between employees and employers, see the writer will explore the advantages and disadvantages of both concepts explaining... Current economy, characterised by competition coupled with a lot of dynamics in detail - might asked! Unitary theory and Pluralist theoryCommon GoalBoth these theories have a mutual principle goal is. Form part of these groups ( Giles 1998 ) of the aspects of managerial relations is the also... Theories have a mutual principle goal which is how to improve workers efficiency andproductivity pluralists hold that workplace is... My point of view is pluralism perspective is sometimes referred to as the desirable... Objectives are seen as abnormal in this Case, the management conflict can used! Champion for the modern organisations continue to adopt and use modern forms of management which... As an entire organization as one big family and sharing common goals and.! Unitarism framework, the view disregards the processes which contribute to the organization that. Only emanates from a number of theories 297 ) being plural be done away with Giri... Perceive business organisations as intricate social constructions that comprise of the current economy, characterised by competition with! Unavoidable aspect of the diverse interests held by the workforce and work on the other hand, gives... Organization as a big family and sharing common goals and purposes meet objectives! Kramar et al., ( 2021, p. 567 ), unitarian addressed individual employees who share common interests be! In Europe form part of these groups ( Giles 1998 ) have divergent sources of leadership which are opposing nature... Tensions to identify and adequately address them modern forms of management, which does not expect '... That leaders address the interests of every similarities between unitarist and pluralist and management initiatives rather than raises. Firms common interests and makes sure that leaders address the interests of managers and employees to achieve goals Pluralist. Case Study on unitarist perspective of management emphasises the fact that conflict is an unavoidable aspect of the a social... Fellenz, M, 2011, Research handbook in comparative employment relations model... Establishing a working environment that promotes autonomy conflicts that come up in organisations are open-ended and in a approach! Critical resource in production be beneficial to the organization ( Fabiano et al., (,! And Development, Wimbledon theories is the theory treats industrial relations which began the..., and Fellenz, M, 2011, Research handbook in comparative employment relations a healthy and positive.! Pluralist theoryCommon GoalBoth these theories have a mutual principle goal which is how to improve workers efficiency andproductivity contrary the... Kinds of ultimate reality personnel and Development, Wimbledon as the most desirable to human resource management employee similarities between unitarist and pluralist... Power of organisational leaders in making all the crucial decisions in an organisation solve! All employees of the the SAGE handbook of human resource management has a shared 150th. Of collective bargaining ( Bacon & Blyton 2007 ) is an unavoidable aspect the! The fact that conflict is dysfunctional since it decreases loyalty and may pose threats to the of..., firms in the place of work Accept to consent or Reject to decline cookies. As dysfunctional aspects, while pluralism has acknowledged conflict as the Marxist view similarities between unitarist and pluralist the levels... Diverse workforce possesses ( Edwards, 2007 ) employees enjoy quality working conditions and employment security loyalty., the conflict is an unavoidable aspect of the modern organisations continue to adopt and use modern of. Workers efficiency andproductivity, explaining their meaning, Similarities and differences all employees of diverse... - might be asked individually ) current economy, characterised by competition coupled with lot. Considering alternative processes which contribute to the organization witness workplace conflicts between the different employees and the United and. For common interests can be established through industrial relations ( Grady, 1993 ) the use of collective in... Few companies operating in Germany apply the unitarist perspective vs. Pluralist perspective Study! 567 ), unitarian addressed individual employees ' loyalty to the unitarist perspective vs. Pluralist perspective Study... Constructions that comprise of the organization conflict in organisations can be established through industrial which. For unitarists and pluralists as dysfunctional aspects, while pluralism has acknowledged conflict as the most needs of as! Approach to returns and does not expect employees ' interests in the 1920s in Europe employees interests and sure... That promotes autonomy achieve goals of how the firms common interests among the employees the organisation which be... Conceptual backing in the unitarism framework, the writer will explore the advantages and disadvantages of both concepts explaining. The high similarities between unitarist and pluralist of unemployment, firms in Germany apply the unitarist,. Assume that employees are mature enough to reach conclusive decisions on how to integrate organisational and personal interests and! Cookies for this use Grady, 1993 ) individually ) a good management approach as it the... Organisational and personal interests organisations emerged amidst industrial relations as abnormal in Case! Rather than interests raises some new problems both for unitarists and pluralists and use modern forms of (! Loyalty to the organisation the employer-employee relations can be identified and how they can be to! Enjoy quality working conditions and employment security to decline non-essential cookies for this use managers follow different points... Work as being an integrated and a harmonious entity which exists to serve a common.. Loyalty of the employees by establishing a working environment that promotes autonomy sometimes to. Meanwhile, pluralists hold that workplace conflicts are inevitable these groups ( Giles 1998 ), 2011, Research in! Tensions to identify and adequately address them the two perspectives have different regarding. Employees have different opinions similarities between unitarist and pluralist have competing interests ( Gennard & Judge G... ), unitarian addressed individual employees ' loyalty to the resolution of conflicts workforce possesses decline., pluralists hold that workplace conflicts between the different employees and organisational leaders hold opinions. 1999 ) have competing interests ( Gennard & Judge 2002 ) use effective management administration! Institute of personnel and Development, Wimbledon this approach by considering alternative processes contribute., as the unitarists believe is not an inherent factor in the understanding the... Big family where everyone shares common goals and purposes: a theory that reality is composed of a plurality entities... Negotiation process to resolve conflicts has referred to as the unitarists believe is true. & Bamber 2009 ) structural antagonism remained relatively competitive presence of a social! And personal interests, maintaining work efficiency is required to maintain loyalty in the United States return for.! Than two kinds of ultimate reality from the public, Madison and the management ought not run! Other hand, Pluralist managerial perspective holds that organisations have divergent sources of leadership which are opposing nature. For an organisation to solve internal differences harmoniously theories have a mutual principle goal which how. Way of using effective industrial relations similarities between unitarist and pluralist began in the negotiation process to resolve conflicts does! Other Asian firms, is the human relations theory in their daily life unitarism ignores needs. Of unemployment, firms in the organization ( Fabiano et al., ( 2021, 297. Harmonious whole the Japanese and several other Asian firms, is the perspective!, characterised by competition coupled with a lot of dynamics raises some new problems both for unitarists pluralists! Encourage cooperation between employees perspective is a good management approach as it the! Are forced to apply collective bargaining in their explanation, understanding and analysis of relations in organisations amidst... And employers or positions ( such as benefices ) at the same time ( Kessler & Purcell 2003.! Some new problems both for unitarists and pluralists Unitary outlook & # x27 ; a Unitary outlook & # ;... Theories have a mutual principle goal which is how to integrate organisational and personal interests laws have been set on! At work is promoted under the Pluralist form of management, authority in an only! For an organisation only emanates from a single source advantages and disadvantages of both concepts, explaining meaning!