Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)

Theories of Industrial Relations

 Prepared By
Manu Melwin Joy
Assistant Professor
Ilahia School of Management Studies
Kerala, India.
Phone – 9744551114
Mail – manu_melwinjoy@yahoo.com

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 Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)

• In this perspective,
Dunlop analyzes
industrial relations
systems as a
subsystem of society.
 Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)

• An industrial relations system at

any one time in its
development is regarded as
comprised of certain actors,
certain contexts, an ideology
which binds the industrial
relations system together and a
body of rules created to govern
the actors at the workplace and
work community.
 Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)

• IR = f(a,t,m,p,i)
–a = Actors, employers,
workers and government.
– t = technological context.
– M = Market context.
– p = Power context.
– i = Ideological context that
helps to bind them together.
 Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)

• a = refers to the undernoted

actors in the IR drama.
– A hierarchy of managers and
their representatives in
supervision.
– A hierarchy of workers and any
spokesmen.
– Specialized government
agencies created by the first
private agencies.
 Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)

• The significant aspects of

the environment in which
the actors interact are :
– The technological
characteristics of the
organization, the workplace
and work community.
 Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)

• The significant aspects

of the environment in
which the actors interact
are :
– The market or budgetary
constraints which impinge
on the actors.
 Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)

• The significant aspects

of the environment in
which the actors
interact are :
– The locus and
distribution of power in
the larger society.
 Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)

• The significant aspects of

the environment in which
the actors interact are :
– An ideology or set of ideas
and beliefs, commonly held
by the actors, helps to bind
or integrate the system
together as an entity.
Dunlop’s System Theory (1958)