10.2190/50MQ-WUYX-CK8A-H8LH 50MQWUYXCK8AH8LH 0 PARTICIPATION IN UNIONS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE LITERATURE AND A RESEARCH AGENDA 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=50MQWUYXCK8AH8LH 1 CHARLES R. SWANSON, JR. With respect to unions, participation may be defined as the extent to which members involve themselves in, and devote energy to, the operation of their union. It is important because it ultimately determines not only the leadership of a union, but to some extent the policies it pursues. The literature of participation may be organized under four board headings: 1. the organizational context; 2. militancy and strikes; 3. leadership; and 4. profiles of general participation. This analysis of the literature establishes a clear need for research and suggests certain questions that could be profitably explored.