Hardy, Cynthia (1982) Organisational closure : a political perspective. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This thesis examines the question of organisational closure.
Britain with its economic problems has, over recent years, seen
an unprecedented number of factory closures as firms have collapsed
or rationalised manufacturing operations in attempts to naintain
profitability. Attempts to control inflation have led successive
governments to reduce expenditure. Consequently, nationalised
industries, local government, the civil service, and education,
health and social services have also had to face reductions in
manning and other facilities.
This research addresses a very real empirical problem which faces
contemporary Britain. It focuses on the response to closure.
Closure, undoubtedly, represents a traumatic experience for those
involved. Despite this, it would appear that many closures go
ahead quietly and, from a managerial viewpoint, successfully. In
contrast, however, a few closures have provoked well-publicised
resistance campaigns. In an attempt to explain why these responses
should arise, the research has focused on the management of closure
and the power relations of the groups involved. Closure represents
an arena in which power and politics are brought into play. Two
aspects of power have been found to be significant. Overt power
is used when parties are engaged in open conflict. Unobtrusive
power, on the other hand, is used more subtlely to legitimise
actions so that opposition does not arise. In the case of
closure, groups have been found to use devices to legitimise and
justify closure, thereby gaining acceptance of it or, in the case
of opposition, "delegitimise" it in an attempt to prevent it.
The methodology has been qualitative. It is argued that, by
collecting unstructured in-depth data from different examples
of closure and comparing them, the nuances and subtleties of
unobtrusive power have been brought to light and the limited
knowledge of closure greatly extended.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Plant shutdowns -- Great Britain, Industrial management, Conflict management
Official Date:	March 1982
Dates:	Date Event March 1982 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Warwick Business School
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Pettigrew, Andrew M. (Andrew Marshall), 1944-
Extent:	ix, 342, xviii p.
Language:	eng

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