Industrial Relations and Organic Social Solidarity

The objective of this paper is to seek a new paradigm of Korean industrial relations and to suggest future directions for the strategic management of industrial relations based on organic social solidarity Korea has achieved a remarkable economic growth that could astonish the whole world in the past half-century and has grown to be the 10th largest economy from the scratch. However, the compact economic growth has also caused social polarization and has backfired among the socially disadvantaged and alienated classes, triggering industrial and other social conflicts. The industrial relations in Korea stand on a turning point and a new path has to be sought amidst social, economic and technological upheaval. Therefore, it is not an option but a must for us to resolve these conflicts through creating new social solidarity, namely organic solidarity, instead of mechanical solidarity. In addition, it is necessary to make efforts to establish a sound functional and communicational community regarding industrial relations. It is urgent that the society overcomes mistrust and conflicts while pursuing mutual benefits and common prosperity. This paper consists of three parts. In the first part, we examine the characteristics of social change during industrialization. We also investigate the new paradigm of social solidarity based on the social principles of self responsibility, solidarity and subsidiary. In second part, we see industrial relations as organic social solidarity based on functional partnerships in regard to the substance and normof industrial relations. In third part, we suggest a social partnership model with the concept of functional as well as communicational community for the cooperative society of labor andmanagement relations.We can also drawsignificant implications for building the organic community of healthy industrial relations in Korea with the concept of so called pre-cooperative society.본 논문에 연구비를 지원해 준 서울대학교 노사관계연구소에 감사를 표합니다