Recently, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practices have gained increased exposure as a superior way of addressing workplace conflict. Several studies suggest that organizations in the USA have widely diffused some form of ADR. But uncertainty remains about whether this development is peculiar to the USA or whether it marks a more systemic shift in the way workplace conflict is addressed in organizations. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the debate about the importance of workplace ADR by examining the extent to which organizations based in Ireland have adopted ADR practices to address individual and group-based work problems. It also assesses the factors that influence the diffusion of ADR. The article finds that the diffusion of ADR practices has not been widespread in Ireland, with more innovation occurring in relation to ADR practices aimed at addressing group-based rather than individual-based workplace problems. US-ownership and high commitment HRM practices are found to be significant influences on the diffusion of ADR. KeywordsAlternative dispute resolution, interest-based bargaining, Irish industrial relations, people management, workplace conflict management

Purpose-This paper presents an account of the UK campaign for the voluntary Living Wage, an example of civil regulation. The purpose of this paper is to identify and characterize the actors involved in the campaign, describe methods used and examine direct and indirect consequences of the campaign. Design/methodology/approach-A mixed-method design is employed, reflecting the broadly framed purpose of the research. The research used semi-structured interviews with campaigners, union representatives and employers, observation of campaign activities and the creation of a database of Living Wage employers. Findings-The campaign originated in the community organizing movement, but has involved a broad range of labor market actors, both "new" and "old." A continuum of campaigning methods has been used, stretching from community mobilization to appeals to employer self-interest and corporate social responsibility. The campaign has recruited 3,000 employers, led to wage increases for thousands of workers and registered indirect effects by shaping the policies of governments, employers and unions. Originality/value-The research presents a novel account of the UK's distinctive Living Wage campaign, a notable example of the civil regulation of the labor market.

The European Works Council Directive was adopted over twenty years ago, and a voluminous body of research has developed on this relatively new institution. This article reviews the most cited literature in order to consider our state of understanding of this research field and to identify gaps in our knowledge. Most research has focused on a limited number of European Works Councils, mainly in manufacturing, and on labour actors. We still know little about the interplay between European Works Councils and other levels of employment relations, the role of management in their working and their effects on substantive employment relations outcomes. By taking stock of current knowledge, we aim to advance future directions and possibilities for research on this theme.

This article uses a case study of a celebrated enterprise partnership in Ireland that broke down to get an insight into why such arrangements are hard to sustain. The argument of the article is that meaningful enterprise partnerships require trade unions and management to accept agency costs, which in practice involves management modifying their right to manage and unions accepting that issues normally addressed by the collective bargaining process may have to be delegated to the partnership arrangement. The evidence of the case study is that neither management nor unions were prepared to incur such costs. The case study suggests that the following trinity – meaningful partnership, full‐blown collective bargaining and management's right to manage is exceptionally difficult to operate at the same time.