Social dialogue
Social dialogue is central to the Norwegian model. The social dialogue lay down the foundation for both representative and individual arrangements aimed at employee participation. Both social parties have rights and obligations, and the social dialogue is based on joint responsibility for a just and productive work life.
Social dialogue, which is taking place within thousands of workplaces, is the manifestation of the work life. Social dialogue is a main field of research at Fafo, and there are a number of intersections to other fields of research. Social dialogue is studied from various angles: institutional theory; industrial relations; power relations and democracy theory, organizational theory and labour law. We employ a wide range of research methods - including registry data and own surveys, and interviews and observation.
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Research in this field is directed towards all levels: national level; company and workplace level; and also the relationship between management and the individual employee. All sectors and most industries are covered. Our research include co-operation in accordance with the Working Environment Act and the Companies Acts, the Basic Agreements and collective agreements. We are concerned with the importance of Social dialogue in terms of
The content of the social dialogue, the specific issues that are informed, consulted and negotiated - are covered by several research fields, for more information, see Health, environment and safety in the workplace, Collective bargaining and agreements, Wage formation, Working hours and employment and European labour models.
Social dialogue and democracy
In Norway, democratic working life and workplaces is a fundamental objective. In a comparative perspective, Norwegian employees enjoy a number of schemes designed to ensure fairness and equal treatment, and opportunities for personal development and growth. How democratic is the Norwegian working life; what can employees and representatives influence on? Which schemes are practiced - and are schemes practiced according to the intentions? Which issues attract the most interest, and where is the line of conflict? To what degree is social dialogue institutionalized as a form of working in the Norwegian working life - by sector, industry and company size? These are some of the central questions that Fafo has been concerned with over the past years.
Social dialogue and value creation
The story of the emergence of the Norwegian regulatory regime is also the story of parties who co-operate, and who compromise in the best interests of the future of the company. Fafo has been concerned with the role of social dialogue in contributing to value creation and to enterprise ability to change and adapt. The research projects range from business studies of work organization and change processes to major restructuring and downsizing processes. Central in this field, is trade union representatives’’ contribution to restructuring and reorganization, through formal and informal Social dialogue.
Social dialogue and ownership
Fafo research on Social dialogue cover all sectors. We have been concerned with how schemes vary and how ownership and management affect Social dialogue. In the private sector, we have conducted several projects related to the Companies Act provision on employee representation on the board of directors. A different issue of interest is Social dialogue within corporate groups, franchises and other forms of association. Traditionally, research on the Norwegian working life has been based on the role of the social partner. However, the emergence of new norms of ownership (‘shareholders’ value’) strengthens the importance of the issue of owners' role and place in the Norwegian model.
Changed conditions for Social dialogue
Both the quality and quantity of Social dialogue vary. Fafo has closely followed the development and have surveyed the conditions for good social dialogue - both from managements’ and trade unions’ perspectives. Research concludes that trust is a fundamental prerequisite. At the same time, both partners change, new ideals for management and organizational models emerge and disappear, and new trade union representatives are recruited and trained. New technology is implemented. The labour force is changing. New norms for human relations (HR) and management roles are coupled with employees’ increased education. To Fafo, studies of challenges and opportunities for future co-operation constitute an important research area.
Caspar Rose & Inger Marie Hagen
The perceived influence of employee board members on decisions in Denmark and NorwayInger Marie Hagen & Ragnhild Steen Jensen
Trade union representatives from ethnic minorities. Representation revisitedInger Marie Hagen & Elin Svarstad
15 år med anbefaling for eierstyring og selskapsledelseInger Marie Hagen
More company boards – less board-level employee representativesSvalund, J., G. B. Casinowsky, Dølvik, J. E. Håkansson, K,Jarvensivu, A., Kervinen, H., Møberg, R. J., Piirainen, T.
Stress testing the Nordic models: Manufacturing labour adjustments during crisis European Journal of Industrial RelationsSvalund, J.
Adjusting labour through crisis: A three industry comparison Economic and Industrial DemocracySvalund, J. and H. Kervinen
Trade union power during labour adjustments – comparison of company-level cases Transfer: European Review of Labour and ResearchSissel C. Trygstad
Deltakelse og innflytelse i norskeide og utenlandskeide virksomheter Søkelys på arbeidslivetMorten Huse, Sabina Nielsen og Inger Marie Hagen
Women and Employee-Elected Board Members, and Their Contributions to Board Control TasksInger Marie Hagen
Ansattes styrerepresentanter – hvor mange og hvor finner vi dem?Espen Løken, Sissel C. Trygstad og Thomas Lorentzen
Den nye staten. Omfang og effekter av omstillingene i staten 1990 til 2004 Søkelys på arbeidslivetInger Marie Hagen
Ansattes styrerepresentanterMona Bråten, Jon Erik Dølvik, Frode Longva og Arild H. Steen
Norwegian Labour Market Institutions and RegulationsJ. Arrowsmith, Heidi Nicolaisen, B. Bechter and R. Nonell
The Management of Variable Pay in Banking: Forms and Rationales in Four European Countries Bullentin of Comparative Labour RelationsKristin Alsos, Kristine Nergaard & Sissel C. Trygstad
Getting and staying together: 100 years of social dialogue and tripartism in NorwayGudmund Hernes, Bjørne Grimsrud og Jon M. Hippe
Samarbeid for utviklingInger Marie Hagen og Bernard Johann Mulder
Transnational Employee Representation on Company Board: the Scandinavian ModelInger Marie Hagen
Board-Level Employee Representatives in Norway, Sweden and DenmarkInger Marie Hagen og Morten Huse
Employee directors – Examples from NorwayEngelstad, F., J. Svalund, I. M. Hagen og A. E. Storvik
Makt og demokrati i arbeidslivet