Includes bibliographical references and index.

Global legal systems and the employment relationship -- Global institutions and the evolution of employment regulation -- Regional institutions and the evolution of employment regulation -- National institutions and the evolution of employment regulation -- The state and industrial relations in global perspective -- Managing domestic and transnational political behavior -- Managing global legal systems for competitive advantage.

Presenting a framework for understanding the corporate strategy-public policy interface as it relates to human capital management, this unique text treats legal systems as factors that must be actively managed in the firm's larger pursuit of international competitive advantage. It provides readers with the most comprehensive description to date of the role that transnational, regional and national institutions play in the evolution of domestic employment regulation and international labour standards, and discusses the opportunities that employers have to influence their form and application.