TULIP -MEETING6-7. NOVEMBER 2008, TALLINN

CASE: DRAMA ”STRAIGHT PIPES”

University of Vaasa-Levón Institute and

Metal Workers Murikka-Institute

FINLAND

TRADE UNION STRUCTURE IN FINLAND

-STRUCTURE BASED ON EDUCATION AND WORK CONTENT AND FEATURES

-AKAVA (WWW.AKAVA.FI) FOR ACADEMIC AND WHITE COLLAR WORKERS

-STTK (WWW.STTK.FI) WELL EDUCATED WHITE COLLARS ORGANISATION

-SAK (WWW.SAK.FI) FOR INDUSTRIAL AND PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS

-75% OF ACTIVE WORKFORCE IS ORGANISED

TRADE UNIONS`ROLE

- COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS

- EXPERT ORGANISATIONS IN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

- HEALTH AND SAFETY ORGANISATION

- DEVELOPMENT OF WORK ORGANISATIONS

- RESEARCH AND TRAINING

TRADE UNIONS AND UNIVERSITIES

- Metal Workers Union (www.metalliliitto.fi) Murikka-Institute (www.murikka-opisto.fi) have research and training activities in cooperation with higher education institutions even up to the basic research/university level

- education and research are now part of the core activities with wide international connections

Case: Murikka-Institute

- Trade union school with long tradition in joint training operations with the firms in the field of basic business knowledge and wage models

-understanding business economy and finance- courses for shop stewards and for

all the workers in firms ( in-company training)

Case 2007 and onwards

- in collective agreement 2007 the partners agreed to improve the shop stewards´understanding of business economy and finance knowledge

- Murikka-Institute is a partner in this training project and the current training model is being developed and improved with social partners

University of Vaasa, Levón Institute

- active in management/leadership and entrepreneurs´education since 1984

- In-company training activities have increased in current years

- Active in: change management training, changes in ownership and management of family businesses –projects, ”accounting for non-accountants” –training and in general company development and HR-projects

Murikka-Institute and University of Vaasa cooperation

-there are many challenges that firms are facing in coming years:

-changes in the management and ownership in family businesses

-globalisation-new technology-ageing of the staff/shortage of labour-use of new technology-emphasis on innovations

Murikka-Institute and University of Vaasa cooperation

- University of Vaasa/Levón Institute is developing a new drama based training method that would suit to shop steward training and in-company training for opening the discussion about the current trends.

- Drama/training method wil be tested within two courses organised by Murikka-Institute

- evaluation and comments from the trade union officials

PILOTING THE CASE

DRAMA -CASE:” STRAIGHT PIPES”

• PILOT PERFORMANCES FOR TRADE UNION REPRESENTATIVES

• Two separate two day´s courses with together 34 participants

• Shop Stewards from metal industry

EVALUATION RESULTS

• The purpose of the Drama is to show the possible problem situations arising from the changes in the management and ownership of a firm and to raise discussions about good practices in order to avoid such problems. Please evaluate how well the Drama works in this meaning. Scale 1= weak, 5 = excellent.

• weighted average value 3,99

EVALUATION RESULTS

• The purpose of the Drama is to show the possible negative effects and threats due to globalization on a small subcontracting firm and to raise discussions about the needs for changes. Please evaluate how well the Drama works in this meaning. Scale 1= weak, 5= excellent.

• - weighted average value 3,64

EVALUATION RESULTS

• The purpose of the Drama is to show the problems arising from persons change resistance during the implementing process of the changes and to raise discussions about how to avoid these problems in organizations. Please evaluate how well the Drama works in this meaning. Scale 1= weak, 5= excellent.

• -weighted average value 4,02

EVALUATION RESULTS

• The purpose of the Drama is to show the problems arising from unsatisfactory internal communication within the firm and to raise discussion about the role of communication in the management in general. Please evaluate how well the Drama works in this meaning. Scale 1= weak, 5= excellent.

• weighted average value 4,16

EVALUATION RESULTS

• The purpose of the Drama is to show the importance of innovation management and rewarding systems which support the workers creativity and innovativeness and to raise discussions about the role of rewarding schemes and innovation management as part of the firms competitiveness. Please evaluate how well the Drama works in this meaning. Scale 1= weak, 5= excellent.

• weighted average value 3,37

EVALUATION RESULTS

• Please evaluate the general applicability of the Drama in working organizations development processes. Scale 1= weak, 5= excellent.

• Weighted average value 3,81

EVALUATION RESULTS

Free comments:• -well done and realistic• -good roles: experienced ”ironman” vs

”unexperienced” owner-manager• -the drama was short enough and realistic , the

audience had some difficulties to get the message (–why?) -you do not speak about emotional aspects at work!

• -perhaps the problems were solved too easily• -realistic, more is needed about the innovativeness

and rewarding systems• -well done and just short enough

EVALUATION RESULTS

Free comments:• -realistic especially from a smaller firm point of view,

but this might fit also to larger organizations• -my own experience: nothing good is expected to

come from the workers side!• -the drama pointed out the importance of trust

between the “two sides”. Stronger focus on innovativeness and rewarding systems would have been needed

• -perhaps a little bit too “educational”, but I liked it anyway

• -a good way to “introduce” problem situations in practice, if the drama could be tailored to be company specific, it could be even better

SummaryHow well the Drama works in this meaning weighted

average value

1. changes in the management and ownership of a firm

3,99

2. globalization on a small subcontracting firm 3,64

3. change resistance 4,02

4. unsatisfactory internal communication 4,16

5. innovation management and rewarding systems 3,37

6. general applicability of the Drama 3,81

Conclusions

• Evaluations were very positive: average is over than 3,3 in all area of evaluation

• General applicability of the Drama were evaluated to very high level

• Especially drama worked in viewpoints of ”change resistance” and ”unsatisfactory internal communication”

Conclusions

• The role of workers in innovation processes seems still to be weak

• Changes in the management and ownership of family businesses are important from also the workers point of view