Industrial Relations is a very broad term and it is not only confined to Union Management. The definition of IR in simpler terms is "Relation between employer and employees, Relation between employees and employees, Relation between employer and employer" is called as Industrial Relations.

Although its has very broad meaning but we can define IR in a very simpler form.

IR comprises with 2 words i.e. INDUSTRIAL + RELATIONS. Industrial means related to industries & relations means relations among all the parties of the business & that too for the sake of running the business of an organization.

Industrial relation can be good or bad in the organization. If it is good, business can be flourished more; if it is bad, it can create bad working atmosphere in the organization which affect the business badly.

Regards

Prof Tandon

Hello Professor,

Here's simpler version of Industrial Relations.

The dynamics of relationship transactions within an industrial context is called Industrial relations. These are primarily collective behavioural transaction of a peculiar type as these occur in the environment of industrial, technological, economic and social context. As we know too well, behaviour is a function of personality and environment. This is true an individual as also at collective level. It is the industrial context that lend the special colour to relationships in industry.

At another plane, we see IR as representative relations between the two main interest groups in industry. These relations concern fundamentally the economic interests but also encompass mutual "right and obligations" between parties.

These relationships are transactional in nature and ideally operate on the basis of "give and take". These are the heart and soul of the collective bargaining process in industry.

Often these are described also as Union-Management Relations. They operate within parameters of related law, existing practice and bargaining strengths of each party, but contain largely "issues of interests" to parties rather than the "issues of rights"!

Let us learn to live and function on the basis of simple concepts!

Regards

Professor Mamta