WORKPLACE PARTICIPATION IN CHINESE LOCAL INDUSTRIES

Using the World Bank and Chinese Academy of Social Science survey data , this study examines employee participation in management decision ma king in Chinese local industrial firms. It argues that it is not only important to study why workers should participate but also why they wa nt to participate. Three modes of participation are defined through a factor analysis. These modes are further discussed in light of the Wes tern participation literatures. They are then examined under three set s of conditions: socioeconomic status, institutional constraints, and policy attitudes. The findings suggest that workers' desire for partic ipation is related to the possibility of maximizing individual benefit s. They also show that under parallel conditions, workers often make o pposite decisions concerning different modes of participation. Finally , in a nondemocratic environment, the impact of socioeconomic developm ent on workplace participation is mixed.