University of the Philippines

School of Labor & Industrial Relations

Diliman, Quezon City
UP SoLAIR Research Agenda
In line with the vision and mission of the UP SoLAIR , and the mandate of the UP Charter
(RA9500, 2008), the School shall be guided by the following themes in research.

Emerging work and technology

Research should fill the gaps on emerging work patterns, representation, globalization and Information
& Communication Technology (ICT) -- impact on mobility, education, compensation, living standards and
exclusion in the Philippines; value chain and job creation with respect to special groups of workers --
persons with disabilities (PWDs), youth, women, senior workers, indigenous peoples, and global
seafarers, health, engineering, business and other professionals; part time work; freelance work,
telecommuting; prison labor, volunteer work and the creation of green jobs.

Labor-management relations
The core of industrial relations (IR) concerns employment relations, in the context of voice and
representation, in the negotiation of terms and conditions of employment, towards a collective
bargaining agreement. Research may focus on changing work rules and processes, and the evolving
employment relationship in the socio-cultural, economic, political and environmental contexts.
Innovations need to be tracked with respect to philosophy, structures, and the practice of collective
bargaining and negotiations, and other forms of labor management relations, including forms of
workers' protest and the resolution of industrial conflicts in both the private, public or third (charity,
non-profit or volunteer) sectors.

Labor market governance, social security and wage policy

Studies are encouraged on the development of well-defined indicators for labor market governance in
its various dimensions; an evaluation of the operating environment of government agencies and private
establishments and organizations; compliance with good labor market governance (labor
administration practices and labor legislations), including living wages, minimum wages and benefits;
social security; value chain analysis, and decent work. Research, advocacy and training shall include
labor market resilience given the challenges of climate change, and the need for disaster risk reduction
and preparedness in the creation of green jobs.

Trade unions, workers’ organizations and social movements

Voice and representation remain an important research especially on how trade unions and social
movements address technology, social change and transformation; how unions adapt and (re)configure
their structures, processes and strategies to effectively address the impact of neoliberal globalization;
how they undertake renewal processes; what factors influence their framing processes and strategies;
what is their impact in terms of social and economic outcomes. Studies using the comparative approach
are also encouraged, with emphasis on alternative forms of workers voice, response, resistance; and job
resilience due to climate change and disaster risks.

Unregulated work and atypical forms of employment

Research is encouraged on the assessment of the extent and determinants of contingent and vulnerable
employment across industries as well as on the magnitude of the informal employment in both the
formal and informal sectors; what are the effects of vulnerable and informal employment on worker’s
welfare and benefits, and the protection of worker rights to security of tenure and collective
representation; what policy reforms need to be undertaken to address precarious work. Atypical forms
of labor and employment include: volunteer work, prison labor; part time work; freelance work and
telecommuting.

Occupational safety & health (OSH)

Significant gaps in knowledge need to be addressed with respect to the promotion of wellbeing in the
workplace, to establish significance of health and safety with respect to ergonomics, work systems,
job design, employment and hiring policy, building, environment and equipment safety; psycho-social
work environment; musculoskeletal disorders such as carpal tunnel and osteoporosis and mitigation
measures in the workplace; dangerous substances, HIV/AIDS and OSH management in the workplace;
child labor; young and senior workers; prison labor; volunteer work; global seafarers; preventive and
curative interventions, including occupational resilience through green jobs in response to climate
change and disaster risk preparedness.

Youth employment and child labor

Studies are needed to examine and identify effective policies and practices to address the transition
from school to the labor market, job-education mismatch, youth unemployment and underemployment,
discouraged youth workers, job search, employment security and decent employment among the young
workers; also includes an assessment of the extent of different forms of child labor by industry, effect of
globalization and labor outsourcing on child labor, an analyses of the community-level and household-
level determinants of child labor and an evaluation of the impact of child labor on child education and
future employment outcomes.

Discrimination and harassment in the workplace

Research is needed to identify effective policies and practices for the protection of vulnerable workers
against discrimination by gender, age, marital status, school graduated from, religion or disability,
migrant status and workers with HIV/AIDS; also includes research on workplace bullying and
harassment.

Organizational behavior (OB), organizational development (OD) and work

Studies are encouraged to address gaps on what is known about individuals in organizations, work
groups, how organizations behave, nature, effects and consequences of work, organizational dynamics
and outcomes, increasing effectiveness and efficiency at work, future of work and its challenges, ethics
in work organization, spirituality at work. Validation of western theories of behavior, ethics in the
Philippine workplace.
Human resource management
Studies should focus on filling gaps in knowledge on effective human resource planning; recruitment,
selection and placement, employment contract; training, coaching, counseling, mentoring; career
planning, career management, succession; total rewards, compensation management, employee
benefits; performance management, productivity; employee discipline, termination; employee
engagement, retention; total wellness and ergonomics; work flexibility and restructuring; organizational
development and change; executive development; leadership and management development;
comparative and international human resource management, managing diversity; strategic human
resource management; culture management in the Philippine context. Research, advocacy and
extension / public service may include HR in the third sector (non-profit, charity / voluntary sector; or
volunteer work).

Globalization, work and migration

Macro level studies should track and examine the impact of globalization, regional integration,
international trade industrial enclaves and multinational institutions on employment relations, working
conditions and on determinants and consequences of labor offshoring and outsourcing. Topics include
the social and economic impacts of Filipino overseas migration on the workers and their families, and on
the economy; the reintegration of overseas migrants in the domestic labor market; evaluation of
migration policies on the protection of migrant worker’s rights as well as issues of work-related human
trafficking across borders.