Part A: Please define and describe “in your own words” the relevance of FIVE of
the following six ideas/models/themes/cases touched on in class to the world of work.
Each answer should be very concise and not exceed 150 words. (Each is worth 5
marks for a total of 25 marks
a. An “Endogenous” Factor in the IR Systems Framework
b. The Bangladesh Garment-Factory Disaster
c. The Spider-Architect Analogy
d. Scientific Management
e. The ‘Candle Problem’
f. The “Experience Good” model of employment
…Part B next page
3/2
Part II: Please answer ONE of the following three short questions. Please make sure
that you answer all parts of the question you choose to answer (25 marks total). The
answer should not exceed 750 words. Note: using examples is permitted and is a good
way to explain and show that you have understood the question and concept.
- Select one of the seven ‘behavioral concepts’ discussed at the end of our Lecture
3 case-study, pick a concept and apply it to a present-day labour market
phenomenon/outcome of your choosing? Describe briefly your understanding of
the behavioral concept and the phenomenon/outcome you have chosen and then
explain the relevance of the concept to your labour market phenomenon/outcome.
Make sure to give a specific example using a current situation to highlight this
relevance.
[Note: a labour market phenomenon/outcome could be anything from a strike, wages going
up, firms adopting certain workplace policies, etc.,] - Explain the concept of the employment relations systems framework. Indicate
how the existence of an outcome such as workers dropping out of the labour
market can be affected by a change in one (or more) elements in the systems
framework. Using the pandemic as a case study, discuss the likely impact that
Covid-19 has had on companies in Canada trying to keep/attract workers and on
employees interested in preserving their health and economic well-being? Make
sure to give a specific example using a current situation to highlight this
relevance. - Please explain the relevance of a standard cost-benefit economic approach to
understanding labour market behaviour? What are some of the predictions that the
standard economic view of human behaviour makes regarding employee and
employer behaviour? Does the fact that workers are willing to give up significant
wage gains (sometimes up to 20% more in wages) in order to stay in their current
job, suggest that workers are “irrational” in an economic sense? Make sure to
justify your position.
Sample Solution