Industrial relations: the contribution of the universities

Abstract

Although I have spent most of my life in the practice, one way or the other, of industrial relations, my responsibilities now lie within a university and it seems to me that one must consider what a university can contribute in this area. In the very short period of twenty minutes, all I can do is sketch some thoughts for you. The fact that our session tonight consists of a number of brief and necessarily undeveloped views is an indication perhaps that this ancient society recognises that* there is a public preoccupation about industrial relations but does not really believe that it is the subject of serious academic study. My view – naturally I suppose — is that it is indeed a matter of serious academic study and that such a study would make at least some contribution to meeting what has been described as the challenge of the times — although I am not without some anxiety that the ancient society may be correct and I may be mistaken