Publications

This paper presents findings from an investigation into the experiences of people who participated in training programmes in Wales, between 2009 and 2013, which were supported by the European Social Fund (ESF). The two ESF Operational Programmes (referred to as the Convergence and Competitiveness Programmes) benefiting Wales for the programming period 2007-13 provided just over…

The chapter focuses on the evolution of education as public policy in contemporary China, that is the period since Deng Xiaoping’s Opening-Up and Market Reform of the economy. This has seen extensive changes to the provision and content of China’s formal education system generally, and especially higher education; and in the relationship between education, the…

The National Assembly of Wales has powers in 20 devolved policy areas, including education, economic development, health, housing, social services and local government. Given the social democrat character of the first three elected assemblies in Wales, Wales would appear well placed to interrupt the reproduction of socio-economic disparities. However, Wales is a relatively poor part…

Purpose A range of studies have shown that performance is typically higher in organisations with employee share ownership (ESO) schemes in place. Many possible causal mechanisms explaining this relationship have been suggested. These include a reduction in labour turnover, synergies with other forms of productivity-enhancing communication and participation schemes, and synergies with employer-provided training. The…

This article critically assesses the assumption that more and more work is being detached from place and that this is a ‘win-win’ for both employers and employees. Based on an analysis of official labour market data, it finds that only one-third of the increase in remote working can be explained by compositional factors such as…

This paper reports on on-going exploratory research into the prevalence and patterns of social media use by trade unions in the United Kingdom. Social media platforms, like Twitter, are used by unions to organize and mobilize existing and potential members by communicating relevant content, which often engages politicians and the news media. However, there is…

This report is the result of a National Assembly for Wales Academic Fellowship Scheme funded by Bangor University /Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Account (IAA).

The article examines the implications of direct participation for employees’ organisational commitment, job satisfaction and affective psychological well-being. It focuses on both task discretion and organisational participation. Applying fixed effect models to nationally representative longitudinal data, the study provides a more rigorous assessment of the conflicting claims for the effects of participation that have hitherto…

There are many ways of looking at global sports and the mega-events that they have created. This manual examines global sports mega-events from the point of view of the unions that represent the workers who make them possible – not the athletes and coaches, but primarily the construction workers who build the stadia and textile…

There is a growing literature on global Chinese companies, but this tends to be at a very general level. There is little research to date on the effect of Chinese involvement on workers and their unions. Although focussed on one company, SINOHYDRO, this paper addresses questions of importance to construction unions globally: What is the…