The book brings together a number of different approaches and the topics covered vary in theme and scope, including broad general surveys (for example, of the historical debate on the early factory masters, and of the principal trends in post--war industrial relations in Europe) and more specialist case studies. The contributors include labour, social and economic historians, and the geographical spread ranges from Europe to the USA and Japan. While each of the chapters covers major new themes, the volumea s originality lies in examining the theme of industrial relations in ways that invite broader comparative thinking.