Industrial Relations and Technological Change

7/28/2019 Industrial Relations and Technological Change

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INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND

TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE


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INTRODUCTION The interrelationship between technology, technological

change and industrial relations has time and again been the

focus of attention of various groups in society.

Anyone who is interested in industrial relations is therefore

concerned with the effects of technology on labormanagement issues such as man power, job security,

redundancy training etc.

The unions and management have their respective points of

view, with the government stepping in to resolve issues and

give directions for the future, keeping in mind the national

interest and objective.

Technology is an aid to improving the economic and social

life of people yet at the same time it can be used in a manner

which is sometime detrimental to this objective.


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INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Industrial relations are an expression used not only for

relationship between employer and trade unions but also

involving government with the aim of defining policies,

facing labor problems. Industrial relations include following concept.a) Rules for employment management

b) Rules and regulation.

c) Role of State Government bodies.

d) Harmonious relations and technology.


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INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ANDTECHNOLOGY Technology has played a very important role from the early

days of civilization in the sphere of production of goods and

services.

If a country wants to develop and compete successfully in thenational and international market, then technology becomes

inevitable.

Technology is an instrument of change and development.

Technological change is a continuous process which covers aseries of developments, mechanization, growth of mass

production, and the emergence of automation in that order.


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World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) - anagency of United\Nations, defines technology as:

"Technology means systematic knowledge for the-manufacturing of products, the application of process or

the tendering of services, whether that knowledge be

reflected in an invention, an industrial' design, a utility

model, or a new plant variety or in ,technicalinformation or skills, or in the services and assistance

provided by experts for design, installation, operation, or

maintenance of an industrial plant or for the

management of an industrial or commercial enterpriseor its activities."


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Technological change affects the Industrial Relation. IR

impact with information and communication technologies,their traditional framework is deeply changing. In fact:-

a) Horizontal and pervading all sector, more & more

reciprocally linked.

b) Dynamic, rapidly innovating.c) Labor and capital saving and principally flexible (Suitable

for many purposes)


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MEANING OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE Technological change (TC) is a term that is used to describe

the overall process of invention, innovation and diffusion

of technology or processes.

The term is synonymous with technological development,

technological achievement, and technological progress.

In essence TC is the invention of a technology (or a process),

the continuous process of improving a technology (in which

it often becomes cheaper) and its diffusion throughout

industry or society.

In short, technological change is based on both better and

more technology.


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CONCEPT OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGETechnology is an instrument of development. It is a

vehicle .of change. Technological changes affect variousaspects of economic and social either directly orindirectly.

Haber, Ferman and Hudson have identified certainchanges which affect jobs and influence skills in theAmerican industrial system which can be calledtechnological changes. They are;

1. Scientific management of time and motion studies,

2. Changes in the location of plants,3. Shifts in product demand changes in machinery,

4. Automation


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Rationalization and automation which are different forms of

technological change have been systematically introduced in

the Indian industrial system in the sixties.

Rationalization implies a basic change in the structure and

control of industrial activities. In its application it brings

together the advantages planed production, pooling, of

research, scientific and technical know-how, centralized

regulation of finances modernization of productive processes

and sales and optimum use of manpower.

Thus, rationalization does not refer to any one process.


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The Advisory Committee on the Management 'of ILO definesit as any reform tending to replace habitual antiquated

practices by means of methods used by systematic reasoning.

Automation is another form of technological change, thoughoften it is used synonymously with technological change.

In automation, technology itself controls the operations.

In automation, the machine provides data from its ownoperations and feeds it back to its own controls which govern

the production process.

In other words they are self-regulating.


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CHARACTERISTICS OF TECHNOLOGICALCHANGE The process of technological change has several defining

characteristics.

a) Uncertain and unpredictableb) Transferrablec) Cumulativeness

Industrial Relations and Technological Change

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