Franz Traxler.

Franz Traxler, Sabine Blaschke, and Bernhard Kittel. strange York: Oxford University Press, 2001 339 pp $6000

This work is the result of research managemented under an Austrian research grant in succession "internationalization, labour relations, and competitiveness." The authors state that the work will be of direct interest to the disciplines of sociology, political science, and economics. It is likely that the work will also be of interest to those involved in the subject of attention of comparative industrial relations, international business, and organizational theory.

The authors attempt to assess pair primary research issues empirically: (1) "Does internationalization impose influences for change and more specifically, for tendency to meet on national labour-relations systems?" and (2) "Under conditions of international markets, cross-national differences in institutional arrangement may have an increasing impact onward national economic performance." These research questions are assessed using longitudinal data covering three decades (1979-1998) and 20 Organization for Economic Cooperation and progressive growth (OECD) countries (Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, recent Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States).

The main division consists of 21 chapters organized into five themes: "Part I: The Theoretical and Methodological Framework of Analysis"; "Part II: The Organization of Interests: Patterns and Dynamics"; "Part III: Wage Regulation and Bargaining"; "Part IV: Labour Relations and Economic Performance"; and "Part V: Instead of Convergence: Neoliberalism and Lean Corporatism as Alternatives." The part includes an extensive review of the relevant literature supporting the various theoretical perspectives. The focus is onward examination of the "hypotheses upon the change in and performance of labour relations." This includes three change hypotheses, referr to as "convergence" "disorganization," and "path-dependency," and four performance hypotheses, characterized as "neoclassical," "corporatist," "neoliberal," and "humpshaped." Based forward extensive statistical analyses, the authors construct that "there is no clear evidence of market-driven convergence" (p 60) in terminuss of forces of change and "no empirical support either for corpor atism or the hump-shape hypothesis" in word s of performance outcomes (p. 239)

The work reflects a rigorous and highly advanced empirical design. This is as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but a strength and a weakness. The advanced theoretical and statistical presentations limit the readability and utility of the work to only the most advanced academics. To completely comprehend the empirical findings, the reader must have a fit understanding of pooled time series regression analysis. For those holding or pursuing doctoral ranks related to international labor relations and/or international markets, the work will be viewed as an important examination of the theories listed above and, as similar will be essential reading for those studying or researching these theories.

The thoroughness of the authors' quantitative research is apparent from first to last the book. A prior understanding of comparative or international industrial relations is a prerequisite for the reader to completely comprehend the extensive series of tables containing the quantitative comes While the text is rich with findings and technical information, this also makes for tedious and many times difficult reading. The degree of difficulty is mixed by the extensive use of variable initials instead of variable names, forcing the reader to strive with identifying the variables in the ensues tables. In a number of instances, greater use of graphs or charts could have made the consideration results easier for the reader to grasp and comprehend. The section chapters containing the outcomes of hypothesis testing also could have been not past nor futureed in a more visible manner (i.e., a summary table or listing).

The volume ends with a series of brief summary chapters. A single, more comprehensive concluding chapter would have been more useful, however, particularly if the authors had highlighted their main findings. As it stands, it is up to the reader to tease revealed the dominant themes and findings.

While perhaps solitary the dedicated industrial sociologist or labor economist will read this work cover to cover, there are chapters that will manifest to be useful references for a broader range of academic scholars interested in industrial relations or international business. The chapters reporting the theoretical touchstones will undoubtedly prove to be important scholarly respects The importance of this theoretical research will make this main division a sought-after resource in university libraries around the world.

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