Flexicurity - an open method of coordination, at the national level ? (original) (raw)
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2007
From a sociological perspective, 'flexicurity' poses important problems of definition. We will test whether, if taken in sufficiently broad terms, 'flexicurity' is susceptible to provide a broad 'portmanteau' or macro-concept collecting present reform strategies or present designs for reforms in many countries. This has however a cost: it dispenses with much of the specific substance identified in the institutional arrangements of the two original 'flexicurity' countries, Denmark and the Netherlands. This all-encompassing capacity of the word was illustrated in 2005-2006, when the notion was gradually integrated into the employment part of the 'Lisbon strategy'. All said and told, the question remains whether 'flexicurity', as a macro-concept, is worth what can be seen as a considerable loss of substance. Can the notion escape the fate of other trendy catchwords?
2008
The Danish labor market system is often referred to as the Danish Model. It is an example of flexicurity, a term that combines the words security and flexibility. This system boasts of more than 100 years of history, and it is one of the preconditions for the rich Danish welfare state, which has a generally high income based on rather small but adaptable firms. The basis for this system is the collective agreements established through negotiation with a "balance of compromise" accepted by both employers and employees. The state normally does not interfere in the negotiations. The well-functioning Danish Model has many similarities with the systems in the other Nordic countries. The word flexicurity was first used in the Netherlands J. Burchardt (*) Museum Vestfyn,
Flexicurity: A conceptual critique
European Journal of Industrial Relations, 2011
Flexicurity' has become an influential concept in academic and political discourse, in particular since the European Commission placed it at the core of the European Employment Strategy. However, the concept is underdeveloped and suffers from a number of serious shortcomings. In this article we discuss a number of its problematic features. In particular, we focus on four aspects: its ambiguity and openness to political capture; its failure to problematize the creation of institutional complementarities; its lack of attention to conflicts of interest and to the heterogeneity of the labour market; and its reductionist view of the sources of flexibility and security. We illustrate this discussion with a series of empirical examples. Finally, we conclude that the flexicurity approach should either be abandoned, or be substantially improved.
The Debate on the Concept of Flexicurity at the European Union Level
Siyasal Bilimler Dergisi, 2016
The aim of this article is to focus on the concept of flexicurity, accepted as the new labour market model balancing the needs of employers for greater flexibility in order to adapt to market forces, and the need of employees for security, which has recently been one of the most popular concepts of the debate on labour market reforms in the European Union (EU). While doing so, this article discusses the position of key European institutions, especially of the Commission of the European Communities (CEC). The main argument is that the concept is still very open to alternative interpretations at the EU level. Related to this openness is the fact that the Commission has deliberately instrumentalized the concept's ambiguity in order to absorb all the main actors into the debate in line with its own policy preferences.
Denmark's Flexicurity: An Institutional Analysis of Denmark and the United States
This inquiry details the "Flexicurity" system in Denmark. The employment and welfare benefits are considered from the employers and employees perspective. The role of the state is described in detail. Historical institutional differences between liberal market economies and coordinated market economies are analyzed. This essay seeks to establish that the "Flexicurity" system in a liberal coordinated market economy is a noteworthy form of industrial organization. It is demonstrated that the system is a first class way of enhancing human capital formation while engendering a social safety net that is far more sophisticated than with social services in the United States. JEL Classifications: I3, J5, J8, L52, O23, O57 Social welfare, human capital, employment, comparative systems, industrial organization, vocational training
Flexicurity: Lights and shadows in Europe and Spain.
Since the European Union creation, some policies like economy, employment, immigration and so on are no longer only a national issue. With the european integration process, countries accepted several commitments with others and with european institutions. Regarding employment and labour market, are one of the main concerns within the EU, specially since the beginning of the current crisis. However, the policies which have been fostered from Europe have a clear ideological direction, the neoliberalism and the capitalism1, and that means the implementation of a concrete set of actions. In this work we are going to analyze a concrete model regarding the labour market, the Danish flexicurity model, to know its characteristics and its hypothetical implementation in other countries, in this case, Spain.
Can the Danish model of “flexicurity” be a matrix for the reform of European labour markets?
Research Papers in Economics, 2006
Le modèle danois de « flexi-sécurité » peut-il servir de matrice pour réformer les marchés du travail européens ? Résumé En Europe, l'intérêt porté au système danois de « flexi-sécurité » n'a cessé de croître ces dernières années. D'après la Commission Européenne, la subtile combinaison de flexibilité et de sécurité mise en place par les danois devrait même servir de matrice pour la réforme des marchés du travail dans les autres pays européens. Cet article analyse les éléments essentiels du modèle danois pour déterminer dans quelle mesure ce discours est pertinent. La flexibilité sur le marché du travail, le système social, et les politiques actives menées sont examinées. Une attention particulière est portée à la réforme du marché du travail de 1993, qui est censée avoir contribué à la très forte baisse du chômage qui s'est produite au Danemark depuis 1994. Mots-clé : Flexi-sécurité, chômage, marché du travail Can the Danish model of "flexicurity" be a matrix for the reform of European labour markets?