ABSTRACT
Industrial relations theory has been formed with a pluralist character and its main issue has investigated employment relationship, and its subject matter has the asymmetry of power and the co-existence of conflict and cooperation in this relationship. Industrial relations theory was challenged by mobilization theory and neo-pluralism, which do not contrast with the tradition of industrial relations. While mobilization theory mapped very important agendas –such as injustice, long waves, mobilization and collectivism- for industrial relations, neo-pluralism emphasized that industrial relations should investigate ‘order problem’ rather than ‘labour problem’. Human resource management HRM , on the contrary, has a unitary and individualist character; at least, it has tried to constitute these. Moreover it has a unilateral management function, and its theoretical adequacy has opened to discussion. HRM, therefore, can substitute instead of neither industrial relations nor unionism