Externalisation and internalisation of collective bargaining in Europe: variation in the role of large companies

"In Reaktion auf die Internationalisierung der Märkte versuchen die großen Unternehmen seit einiger Zeit, ihren tarifpolitischen Handlungsspielraum auszuweiten, so dass maßgeschneiderte Lösungen für ihre Geschäftsbereiche gefunden werden können. In diesem Aufsatz werden vor diesem Hintergrund den Wandel in der Bedeutung von Verbands- und Haustarifverträgen untersucht. Dabei konzentriert sich die Analyse auf die Entwicklung in großen Unternehmen im Hinblick auf zwei Dimensionen: Externalisierung/ Internalisierung (als Problem der Bedeutung von sektoralen Verbandstarifen) und Zentralisierung/ Dezentralisierung (als Problem der Verhandlungsebene im Unternehmen). Methodisch beruht die Untersuchung auf einem Vergleich des Metallverarbeitungs- und Bankensektors auf der Grundlage von Fallstudien aus Belgien, Deutschland, Italien und Großbritannien. Die Ergebnisse dokumentieren die Vielfalt der 'Dezentralisierungs'-Formen im Unternehmensvergleich wie auch innerhalb der Unternehmen, die sowohl auf Länder-, insbesondere aber auch auf Sektoreffekte zurückzuführen ist. Denn beide Kategorien von Effekten sind relevant für die Entwicklung der Machtverhältnisse und Transaktionskosten, die ihrerseits die Attraktivität alternativer tarifpolitischer Arrangements beeinflussen." (Autorenreferat)"In recent years major employers have sought greater scope to negotiate working und employment practices specific to the circumstances of the company or its constituent units, reflecting the internationalisation of markets and competition. This article examines the changing balance between multi-employer and single-employer collective bargaining in this context. The analysis focuses on developments in largo firms across two distinct but related dimensions: externalisation-internalisation (engagement with sect oral multi-employer bargaining) and centralisation-decentralisation (the level of internalisation within the company). The treatment is comparative, analysing developments in metalworking and banking through case studier from Belgium, Germany Italy and Britain. The results demonstrate that 'decentralisation' takes various forms, within and without the company. Furthermore, sector features are at least as significant as country factors in explaining change. This is because the re-formation of multi-employer bargaining reflects changes in power relations and transaction costs that are peculiar to the industry as well as the national context." (author's abstract

Paradigms, perspectives and participation: reconceptualising amateur orchestras as unique socio-musical communities of practice

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London.Using Ezra Schabas’ (1966) report on Ontario community orchestras as a catalyst for inquiry, this dissertation examines the nature of amateur orchestras, arguing that they may be reconceptualised as unique, socio-musical communities of practice through an exploration of several factors which influence their health and sustainability. These include: aspects of amateur musical engagement; the relationship between amateur musicians and the various professional actors found in the amateur context; the importance of ensemble-based music education as a crucible for the development of individual artistry, life-long musical learning, and a socio-musical skill set which will encourage and enhance future orchestral participation; the adoption of new, creative and collaborative practices as pathways to improved socio-musical awareness and artistic freedom; and an approach to public engagement which celebrates diversity, embraces cultural democracy, and fosters community cohesion among players and the public. These concepts are explored against the backdrop of two contrasting paradigms of practice: the traditional symphony orchestra and Community Music. This comparison suggests a new paradigm for amateur orchestras, embodying the characteristics of amateurism, socio-musical cohesion, and community engagement, which can properly be described as “community orchestras.” Key words: amateur, community, community of practice, Community Music, engagement, orchestr

Governance Codes and Charity Law in England and Wales

A thesis to consider whether the development of voluntary governance codes of practice for the registered charity sector in England and Wales has had any material effect on charity law. The thesis reviews the development of the codes since their first publication in 2005, and how they relate to the legal duties of charity trustees, primary legislation that applies to charity governance, the regulators of the registered charity sector, and relevant case law. It also looks forward to potential changes in the law and the codes in the near future. Good governance has been codified in the corporate sector but remains voluntary for charities. With public trust in charities remaining steady at a historic 2016 low point, the codes of practice could be a mechanism to measure and evidence good governance, and to provide charity trustees with certainty that they have fulfilled their duties. The thesis considers what amounts to governance, and how governance relates to the charity trustees’ legal duties and obligations. It reviews the evidence that the codes have been used by legislators, regulators and the judiciary. The thesis concludes that voluntary codes of practice have made little difference to date and suggests that the codes are not seen as a necessary tool for good charity governance

Direct access to a cAAC-supported dihydrodiborene and its dianion

The two-fold reduction of (cAAC)BHX2 (cAAC = 1-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidin-2-ylidene); X = Cl, Br) provides a facile, high-yielding route to the dihydrodiborene (cAAC)2B2H2. The (chloro)hydroboryl anion reduction intermediate was successfully isolated using a crown ether. Overreduction of the diborene to its dianion [(cAAC)2B2H2]2– causes a decrease in the B-B bond order whereas the B-C bond orders increase

Facile synthesis of a stable dihydroboryl {BH2}– anion

While the one-electron reduction of (CAACMe)BH2Br (CAACMe = 1-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidin-2-ylidene) yields a hydride-shift isomer of the corresponding tetrahydrodiborane, a further reversible reduction leads to the first stable parent boryl anion, [(CAACMe)BH2]–, which acts as a powerful boron nucleophile

The AGeS2 (Awards for Geochronology Student research 2) Program: Supporting Community Geochronology Needs and Interdisciplinary Science

Geochronology is essential in the geosciences. It is used to resolve the durations and rates of earth processes, as well as test causative relationships among events. Such data are increasingly required to conduct cutting-edge, transformative, earth-science research. The growing need for geochronology is accompanied by strong demand to enhance the ability of labs to meet this pressure and to increase community awareness of how these data are produced and interpreted. For example, a 2015 National Science Foundation (NSF) report on opportunities and challenges for U.S. geochronology research noted: While there has never been a time when users have had greater access to geo-chronologic data, they remain, by and large, dissatisfied with the available style/ quantity/cost/efficiency (Harrison et al., 2015, p. 1). And the 2012 National Research Council NROES (New Research Opportunities in the Earth Sciences) report (Lay et al., 2012, p. 82) recommended: [NSF] EAR should explore new mechanisms for geochronology laboratories that will service the geochronology requirements of the broad suite of research opportunities while sustaining technical advances in methodologies. The AGeS (Awards for Geochronology Student research) program is one way that these calls are being answered

Trans‐selective insertional dihydroboration of a cis‐diborene: synthesis of linear sp3‐sp2‐sp3‐triboranes and subsequent cationization

The reaction of aryl‐ and amino(dihydro)boranes with dibora[2]ferrocenophane 1 leads to the formation 1,3‐trans‐dihydrotriboranes by formal hydrogenation and insertion of a borylene unit into the B=B bond. The aryltriborane derivatives undergo reversible photoisomerization to the cis‐1,2-μ‐H‐3hydrotriboranes, while hydride abstraction affords cationic triboranes, which represent the first doubly base‐stabilized B3H4+ analogues

Unique opportunities for NMR methods in structural genomics

This Perspective, arising from a workshop held in July 2008 in Buffalo NY, provides an overview of the role NMR has played in the United States Protein Structure Initiative (PSI), and a vision of how NMR will contribute to the forthcoming PSI-Biology program. NMR has contributed in key ways to structure production by the PSI, and new methods have been developed which are impacting the broader protein NMR community

Unique opportunities for NMR methods in structural genomics

This Perspective, arising from a workshop held in July 2008 in Buffalo NY, provides an overview of the role NMR has played in the United States Protein Structure Initiative (PSI), and a vision of how NMR will contribute to the forthcoming PSI-Biology program. NMR has contributed in key ways to structure production by the PSI, and new methods have been developed which are impacting the broader protein NMR community