Multilevel Governance of Danish Employment Policies
Bodil Damgaard, Roskilde University, Denmark
Multilevel Urban Governance GonferenceDecember 1-2 2010
Background of DK case Strong social partners
High union density & many employers’ organised
Insignificant internal ideological divides (so far...)
Mutual recognition since 1899Highly regulated conflicts; few spontaneous
strikes Regulate many aspects of empl. policy
themselves eg. wages (incl. minimum wage), working
hours, labour conditions Strong tradition for corporative
involvement
National Ministry of Employment Employment council
Key actors and councils
Local
RegionalEmployment Regions (4)
(state entities)
Jobcentres (91) (Municipalities)
Nat’l Labour Market Authority
Regional employ. councils (4)
Local employ. Council (91)
Council members
Unions Employers’ organisations
Municipal representatives Handicap organisations
Locally Medical physicians
Old and dominant
New; growing influence
Recent developments
Focus on active employment policy (ALMP)
Decentralisation => municipal jobcentres
=> policy delivery
Recentralisation => goals and revision
=> tight reimbursement schemes
=> required monitoring
Institutionalisation of processes
Local
National
Regional
Local
National
Regional
Rules &
regu
lations
Local
National
Regional
Rules &
regu
lations
Rules & regulations
Ministerial goals
Local
Regional
Rules & regulations
National
Rules &
regu
lations
Employment
plan
template
Local
National
Regional
Ministerial goals
Rules &
regu
lations
Rules & regulations
Local
National
Ministerial goals
Employment
plan
template
Rules &
regu
lations
Rules & regulations
Regional
Employ-
ment plan
Local
National
Regional
Comments
on employ-
ment plan
Ministerial goals
Employment
plan
template
Employ-
ment plan
Rules &
regu
lations
Rules & regulations
Local
National
Regional
Ministerial goals
Employment
plan
template Comments
on employ-
ment plan
Rules &
regu
lations
Rules & regulations
Revision of
results
Employ-
ment plan
National
Regional
Ministerial goals
Employment
plan
template
Rules &
regu
lations
Local
Comment on
revision of
results
Comments
on employ-
ment plan
Rules & regulations
Revision of
results
Employ-
ment plan
Local
Comment on
revision of
results
National
Regional
Revision of
results
Ministerial goals
Employment
plan
template
Employ-
ment plan
Comments
on employ-
ment plan
Report
Rules &
regu
lations
Rules & regulations
Local
Comment on
revision of
results
National
Regional
Revision of
results
Ministerial goals
Employment
plan
template
Employ-
ment plan
Comments
on employ-
ment plan
Report
Contract
Rules &
regu
lations
Rules & regulations
Framework tender
Local
Comment on
revision of
results
National
Regional
Revision of
results
Contracts
Ministerial goals
Employment
plan
template
Employ-
ment plan
Comments
on employ-
ment plan
Report
Contract
Rules & regulations
Rules &
regu
lations
Contract
Kontrakter
Framework tender
Report
Local
Comment on
revision of
results
National
Regional
Revision of
results
Ministerial goals
Employment
plan
template
Employ-
ment plan
Comments
on employ-
ment plan
Rules &
re
gulati
ons /
dialogu
eRules & regulations
Contract
Kontrakter
Framework tender
Report
Local
Comment on
revision of
results
National
Regional
Revision of
results
Ministerial goals
Employment
plan
template
Employ-
ment plan
Comments
on employ-
ment plan
Rules &
re
gulati
ons /
dialogu
e
Dialogu
e
Rules & regulations
Multilevel governance in DK employment policy Complex mix and interaction between hierarchical instruments market based instruments network governance
Institutionalised process => ‘soft instrument’, yet hard governance
Future challenges
Efficient policy processes >< adequate policies
Uniting municipal employment policy with national objectives
Securing engagement and enthusiasm by social partners Avoiding bureaucracy taking over