(Small) Differences that (Still) Matter? Cross-Border Regions and Work Place Governance in the Southern Ontario and US Great Lakes Automotive Industry

Rutherford T. D. and Holmes J. (Small) differences that (still) matter? Cross-border regions and work place governance in the Southern Ontario and US Great Lakes automotive industry, Regional Studies. Workplace governance is a critical element in determining regional competitiveness. While contemporary rescaling of economic and social relations has produced new territorial configurations, including cross-border regions (CBRs), there is little research on the reshaping of workplace governance within such regions. It is argued that changes in CBR workplace governance are contingent upon (1) firms' ability to transfer corporate employment practices across national borders; (2) labour law and other employment regulatory institutions; and (3) the response of labour organizations. Using this framework, workplace governance change in the automotive industry in the Southern Ontario and US Great Lakes States CBR is examined.