In the Interest of Others
Organizations and Social Activism
1st Edition
Published on 16. June 2015
336 pages
978-1-4008-4865-2 (ISBN)
Description
A groundbreaking study of labor unions that advances a new theory of organizational leadership and governance
In the Interest of Others develops a new theory of organizational leadership and governance to explain why some organizations expand their scope of action in ways that do not benefit their members directly. John Ahlquist and Margaret Levi document eighty years of such activism by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union in the United States and the Waterside Workers Federation in Australia. They systematically compare the ILWU and WWF to the Teamsters and the International Longshoremen's Association, two American transport industry labor unions that actively discouraged the pursuit of political causes unrelated to their own economic interests.
Drawing on a wealth of original data, Ahlquist and Levi show how activist organizations can profoundly transform the views of members about their political efficacy and the collective actions they are willing to contemplate. They find that leaders who ask for support of projects without obvious material benefits must first demonstrate their ability to deliver the goods and services members expect. These leaders must also build governance institutions that coordinate expectations about their objectives and the behavior of members.
In the Interest of Others reveals how activist labor unions expand the community of fate and provoke preferences that transcend the private interests of individual members. Ahlquist and Levi then extend this logic to other membership organizations, including religious groups, political parties, and the state itself.
In the Interest of Others develops a new theory of organizational leadership and governance to explain why some organizations expand their scope of action in ways that do not benefit their members directly. John Ahlquist and Margaret Levi document eighty years of such activism by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union in the United States and the Waterside Workers Federation in Australia. They systematically compare the ILWU and WWF to the Teamsters and the International Longshoremen's Association, two American transport industry labor unions that actively discouraged the pursuit of political causes unrelated to their own economic interests.
Drawing on a wealth of original data, Ahlquist and Levi show how activist organizations can profoundly transform the views of members about their political efficacy and the collective actions they are willing to contemplate. They find that leaders who ask for support of projects without obvious material benefits must first demonstrate their ability to deliver the goods and services members expect. These leaders must also build governance institutions that coordinate expectations about their objectives and the behavior of members.
In the Interest of Others reveals how activist labor unions expand the community of fate and provoke preferences that transcend the private interests of individual members. Ahlquist and Levi then extend this logic to other membership organizations, including religious groups, political parties, and the state itself.
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More details
Edition
Course Book
Language
English
Place of publication
Princeton, NJ
United States
Publishing group
De Gruyter
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
Digital original
Product notice
Reflowable
Illustrations
31 line illus. 14 tables.
File size
17,98 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-4008-4865-2 (9781400848652)
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
09/2013
Princeton University Press
€138.50
Shipment within 10-20 days
Book
09/2013
Princeton University Press
€39.50
Shipment within 10-20 days
Persons
John S. Ahlquist is the Lyons Family Faculty Scholar and associate professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Margaret Levi is the Jere L. Bacharach Professor of International Studies at the University of Washington and Foundational Chair in Politics at the University of Sydney's United States Studies Centre.
Content
List of Figures ix
List of Tables xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Chapter 1: Beyond Economism 1
Our Argument 5
The Cases 10
Alternative Accounts 15
The Chapters 18
Chapter 2: Building an Encompassing Community of Fate and Winning Consent 22
Leaders, Governance, and Organizational Performance 25
Modeling Organizational Scope and Governance 28
From Leadership Rents to Organizational Governance Institutions 38
Summary and Conclusions 43
Appendix 45
Chapter 3: Pork, Perks, and Predation 53
International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) 55
The ILA 71
Discussion 77
Chapter 4: An Injury to Anyone Is an Injury to All 79
Commonalities Between the ILWU and WWF 80
ILWU 84
WWF 103
Tension between Political and Industrial Commitments 113
Continuity Over Time 114
Conclusion 118
Chapter 5: Managing Heterogeneity 120
Managing the Heterogeneity of Locals 121
Managing Individual Heterogeneity 135
Conclusion 152
Chapter 6: Provoking Preferences 155
The Literature 157
Preference Provocation 162
Evidence of Preference Provocation 168
Evidence of Contingent Consent 181
Conclusions 183
Chapter 7: Political Attitudes and Behavior among ILWU Members, with Amanda B. Clayton 185
Employment, Compensation, and Shipping Volumes on the U.S. West Coast 187
International Trade and Public Opinion 189
The ILWU's Organizational Principles and International Trade 192
ILWU Members' and Affiliates' Attitudes Toward Trade 199
ILWU Affiliates' Political Behavior 212
Robustness Considerations 216
Conclusion 219
Appendices 220
Chapter 8: Signaling Solidarity? 230
Bargaining, Strikes, and Politics 233
The ILWU 238
The WWF 251
Conclusion 256
Appendix 259
Chapter 9: Conclusions and Implications 261
Union Behavior 262
Other Membership Organizations 265
Firms 268
The State 269
Other Implications 272
Communities of Fate 276
Bibliography 279
Index 303
List of Tables xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Chapter 1: Beyond Economism 1
Our Argument 5
The Cases 10
Alternative Accounts 15
The Chapters 18
Chapter 2: Building an Encompassing Community of Fate and Winning Consent 22
Leaders, Governance, and Organizational Performance 25
Modeling Organizational Scope and Governance 28
From Leadership Rents to Organizational Governance Institutions 38
Summary and Conclusions 43
Appendix 45
Chapter 3: Pork, Perks, and Predation 53
International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) 55
The ILA 71
Discussion 77
Chapter 4: An Injury to Anyone Is an Injury to All 79
Commonalities Between the ILWU and WWF 80
ILWU 84
WWF 103
Tension between Political and Industrial Commitments 113
Continuity Over Time 114
Conclusion 118
Chapter 5: Managing Heterogeneity 120
Managing the Heterogeneity of Locals 121
Managing Individual Heterogeneity 135
Conclusion 152
Chapter 6: Provoking Preferences 155
The Literature 157
Preference Provocation 162
Evidence of Preference Provocation 168
Evidence of Contingent Consent 181
Conclusions 183
Chapter 7: Political Attitudes and Behavior among ILWU Members, with Amanda B. Clayton 185
Employment, Compensation, and Shipping Volumes on the U.S. West Coast 187
International Trade and Public Opinion 189
The ILWU's Organizational Principles and International Trade 192
ILWU Members' and Affiliates' Attitudes Toward Trade 199
ILWU Affiliates' Political Behavior 212
Robustness Considerations 216
Conclusion 219
Appendices 220
Chapter 8: Signaling Solidarity? 230
Bargaining, Strikes, and Politics 233
The ILWU 238
The WWF 251
Conclusion 256
Appendix 259
Chapter 9: Conclusions and Implications 261
Union Behavior 262
Other Membership Organizations 265
Firms 268
The State 269
Other Implications 272
Communities of Fate 276
Bibliography 279
Index 303
