1. Research an organisation/sector/industry of your choosing and consider the means and extent to which employees have a voice in the workplace through individualised and/or collectivised means. Critically evaluate the factors that explain the existence or non-existence of the representation of employee interests in the workplace? What key changes do you detect in employee representation processes in the post war period until now and how can these changes be explained?
2. Research an aspect of the labour market with regard to either gender, or ethnicity, or age. Critically evaluate the factors which contribute to the persistence of patterns of inequality in the workplace. What are the explanations of this? How successful have legal, managerial and TU interventions been in addressing these inequalities and what current labour market developments hold back progress? Analyse the ‘balance of power’ prospects going forward for the group on which you are focussing?
3. Research two trade unions of your choosing. What are their roles and functions for the sector of employees that they represent and how and why have these changed in the post war period until now? Critically evaluate their sources of influence and power and what challenges do they face and why? How successful are they in defending the employees they represent and critically evaluate the social, labour market, legal and political that factors influence their operations and role? Analyse the extent to which the unions you have chosen are similar or different in fulfilling their key roles? Evaluate their prospects going forward and analyse the influences on these?
4. Research the changing nature of the labour market in the post war period until now. What do you consider to be the most significant changes and why? In answering this question take account of demographics, gender and migrant labour and also the significance of the restructuring of work due to flexible practices. How can these labour market shifts be explained and what are the implications for the balance of power between employers and employees?
5. Research the employee relations scenario in a national context other than the UK. Evaluate the extent to which the economic, political and social contexts influence the labour market and the actors within it. Critically analyse the roles of the State, Employees (and/or Trade Unions) and Employers and show how these influence the balance of power between employers and employees.
6. Research an organisation/sector/industry/ of your choosing to consider the employee relations implications of different management approaches (eg unitarist and pluralist; individualist and collectivist, and their variations). Critically evaluate the implications for both employees and employers in how they engage with each other. Analyse the implications for the balance of power between employers and employees. You can use examples to illustrate your points and draw on relevant employee relations theory.
7. Research an example of industrial conflict or a collective dispute. Critically evaluate the contextual (economic, social, political) factors leading up to it? What are the means by which each of the parties express their interests? Critically evaluate their relative sources of power and consider the ways in which the state frames their actions and consider the prospects for the parties (employers and employees) going forward?

THERE ARE 7 TOPICS PLEASE CHOOSE ANY ONE TOPIC THAT YOU FEEL IS EASY FOR YOU.

Presentation Format
The assignment shall be submitted in the form of an extended essay with appropriate sub-headings.
Assignments shall be 4,500 words in length. Good referencing should be evident throughout.

In addressing your chosen topic please note the following assessment criteria

1. Demonstration of critical understanding of Employee Relations issues
2. Analysis of the roles of the state, employers and employees (and their trade unions) with regard to your identified topic as appropriate
3. Analysis of the balance of power between the actors (employees & their trade unions, employers and the state) as relevant to your topic