Correct option is D
The correct sequence shows increasing levels of employee participation in management decisions.
C. Works Committees – These are consultative bodies under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. Their role is minimal, limited to promoting amity and smooth industrial relations. No real participation in decision-making.
A. Joint Management Councils – Established to provide some platform for joint discussion, but decisions are generally recommendatory in nature, not binding. Slightly higher role than Works Committees.
D. Workers’ Participation in Management – A broader concept that includes any form of employee involvement in management. This can range from suggestions to formal consultative roles.
E. Workers’ Share in Equity – Equity participation gives workers ownership stakes, implying financial and strategic interest in the company’s success, raising the level of engagement and say in operations.
B. Workers’ Representative in the Board – This is the highest level of participation where a worker sits on the company’s Board of Directors, taking part in strategic decision-making.
Thus, the correct increasing order of employee involvement in decision-making is:
C (lowest) → A → D → E → B (highest).
Information Booster:
Works Committees are only advisory and focus on day-to-day issues or disputes.
Joint Management Councils were recommended by the Industrial Policy Resolution (1956) to foster better relations, but have limited influence.
Workers’ Participation in Management (WPM) can take multiple forms including suggestion schemes, quality circles, and consultative bodies.
Workers’ Share in Equity aligns employee and employer interests, commonly seen in Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs).
Board-level Participation ensures direct influence in critical decisions like investments, mergers, and policy formation.