Industrial Conflict and Employee Productivity: Queensland Companies

This project, a student assignment for BUSN20019, examines the impact of industrial conflicts on employee productivity within Queensland-based companies. It begins with a background on industrial conflicts, highlighting their increasing prevalence and negative effects, such as decreased productivity and financial crises. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing secondary data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and annual reports, along with peer-reviewed journal articles. Key research questions address how these conflicts affect Queensland companies' success. The project includes a literature review, Gantt chart outlining the project timeline, and references. The study aims to analyze the causes and potential solutions to industrial conflicts, such as discrimination and poor working conditions, with the goal of improving employee well-being and organizational success. The methodology involves data collection, analysis, and comparison of findings to address the research questions.

Student Name, Student ID BUSN20019 ASSESSMENT 1.1
1. Title. Industrial conflict and its impact on employees’ productivity – A study of
Queensland companies.
2. Background and problem statement.
Industrial conflicts are among the major issues affecting nearly every contemporary
organisation both locally and internationally (Kochan, Harry C Katz, & Robert B
McKersie, 2018). Over the recent years, industrial conflicts have been on the rise among
the Queensland-based companies and existing research results prove that unfairness and
inequalities are the major contributors (Perez, Gray, Jason, & Skitmore, Martin, 2016).
Industrial conflicts must be contained as they can negatively affect these companies in
various ways such as declined workforce productivity, Workplace violence, and financial
crises. Such crises can have devastating effects on a company and its operations and may
lead to a shutdown. Industrial conflicts can also have more adverse effects in the
country’s economy, for instance, they have led to deceleration of trade union density in
Australia (International Labour Organization (ILO), 2020). Industrial conflicts can be
caused by various factors such as; poor working conditions, unfair wage rates and
salaries, misappropriation of resources, any form of discrimination, sexual harassment
and other unethical practices. Industrial conflicts can be easily solved. For instance, these
Queensland companies can create work committees to represent and advocate for both
the workers and employees (Fergus & Anne Gregory, 2017).
3. Data sources and research methodology.
This research will employ qualitative measures and secondary data publicly available in
the Australian Bureau of Statistics that gives industry trends relating to industrial disputes
of different Australian companies based in Queensland. The Australian Bureau of
Statistics gives detailed statistics on the number of disputes that occurred in a given
period, number of employees involved, and working days lost, and is available at the
website: https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6321.0.55.001

Annual reports prepared by various relevant bodies will be used as the primary data
sources. Other useful academic materials like peer-reviewed journal articles addressing
the issue of industrial conflicts will also be used in the data collection process. Keywords
such industrial conflicts, Queensland Companies, workplace disputes among others will
be used to access essential information for the study.
The qualitative data that will be sourced from the materials will be analysed by
developing and applying codes (short phrases or words that will be used to represent
ideas and themes of the topic.
4. Research questions.
 How do industrial conflicts affect the success of Queensland companies?
5. Short literature review.
According to Creighton, Denvir, Johnstone, & McCrystal, (2018), employees are allowed
to take protected industrial action to support claims for a new enterprise agreement
provided that the action is authorized by the Fair Work Commission. Protected industrial
action involves actions such as restriction on the performance or acceptance of work and
failure to attend for work. Stewart, Gahan , McCrystal , & Chapman, (2015) point out
that that the main cause of industrial conflict in Australia has been discrimination and
work-place bullying claims. This is what has led to violence among workers, a rise in
workplace accidents, poor corporate reputations, decline in production levels, employee
turnover, and lack of loyalty amongst employees. However it is possible to settle disputes
and restore sanity in Queensland-based companies (Gramberg, Teicher, & Bamber,
2019). By allowing employees to be heard and participate in decision-making processes
then they get comfortable and are less likely to quit or go for a strike. (Gramberg,
Teicher, & Bamber, 2019).

References
Creighton, B., Denvir, C., Johnstone, R., & McCrystal, S. (2018). Protected industrial action
ballots: An empirical view. Journal of Industrial Relations, 53–76.
Fergus, E., & Anne Gregory. (2017). Social and Emotional Learning. Social and Emotional
Learning and Equity in School Discipline, 117-136.
Gramberg, B. V., Teicher, J., & Bamber, G. (2019). Employee Voice, Intention to Quit, and
Conflict Resolution: Evidence from Australia. SAGE Journals, 15-52.
International Labour Organization (ILO). (2020). ILO Highlights Global Challenge to Trade
Unions. Retrieved April 3, 2020, from ILO:
http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_008032
Kochan, T. A., Harry C Katz, & Robert B McKersie. (2018). The transformation of American
industrial relations. Ithaca: ILR Press.
Perez, D., Gray, Jason, & Skitmore, Martin. (2016). Perceptions of risk allocation methods and
equitable risk distribution: a study of medium to large Southeast Queensland commercial
construction projects. International Journal of Construction Management, 132-141 .
Stewart, A., Gahan , P., McCrystal , S., & Chapman, A. (2015). Labour Regulation: Is There a
Case for Major Reform? . Workplace Relations Framework , 1/32.

6. Gantt chart
Activity Week
Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk1
0
Wk11 Wk12
Identify topic and
identify relevant
data
Gather feedback
from classmates
Submit
Assessment 1.1
Review project
proposal
Write literature
review
Collect data
Analyse data
Write down the
research
methodology
Compare
results/findings
Revise literature
review
Discuss and
explain the
findings
Submit assessment
2