Dunlopian Industrial-Relations System: A Myth or Heuristic Device?

Abstract

This paper looks at the industrial-relations system popularized by John Dunlop with a view to answering the poser – “a myth or heuristic device? Attempt is thus made to conceptualise myth and heuristic, and the conclusion drawn from that is that myth hardly depicts the industrial-relations model postulated by Dunlop. It is argued that nonetheless the weaknesses and inadequacies of Dunlopian model; it is still a veritable medium for explicating the nature and dynamics of the phenomenon of industrial relations. Also, the paper holds that Dunlop’s theory laid a foundation for scholarly discourse on employment relationship by actors in industrial relations and the theory still remains relevant till date especially now that its failings are being addressed by neo-Dunlopian thinkers.

Key words: Myth, heuristic, industrial relations and industrial-relations system.