Resource approach in studying the role of employees in social partnership: To methodology of research

Abstract

The article provides a survey of the theoretical ideas of resource approach and the ensuing empirical studies of the role of employees in negotiation with employers and government. The major theorists of resource approach are P. Bourdieu, J. Coleman, N. E. Tihonova, V. I. Il’in, V. V. Radaev, A. N. Krasilova, and V. A. Jadov. R. Putnam and F. Fukuyama’s conception of social capital is an alternative version of resource approach that is used for the analysis of society as a whole. The resource approach is the strategy of scientific research of social inequality in society, based on the analysis of structure and capacity of resources. The resource of the employee is not always required in society or at the labour market. The required resource that determines the status of employee is called “active”. Active converts into capital if it brings the profit due to exceeding the expenses for its reproduction. If the employee has enough capacity of the required social resources, he can realize his interests and influence another subjects of the social partnership. Based on addition of Jadov’s methodology and results of synthesis of empirical studies, we single out three interdependent levels in the structure of social resource: socio-cultural resources, resources of social links and individual-personal resources. Individual-personal resources determine conversion of other social resources into actives and capitals.