Concept Of Flexicurity Research Articles

Essence and peculiarities of the implementation of the concept of flexicurity in Ukraine

The challenges of the modern world led to changes in business organization, including forms of labor organization. The use of flexible forms has become a modern tool for human resource management in a changing environment. The concept of flexicurity has been used in European countries for a long time. This study employed the methods of bibliographic analysis VosViewer and Google Trends to investigate issues related to flexible employment policies from three primary perspectives: a) institutional (where the state plays a central role in labor market regulation); b) anti-crisis (implies implementing flexible employment policies in response to economic crises and the efforts of employers to reduce personnel costs); and c) corporate (which focuses on employee needs and corporate social responsibility). Furthermore, modern approaches used in developed countries for implementing flexible employment policies under the concept of flexicurity were analyzed and summarized in a matrix. This analysis provides valuable insights for future research in Ukraine, including regulatory and legal provision of non-standard forms of employment such as freelancing, crowdsourcing, and self-employment; the development of strategies to attract non-standard forms of employment those categories of the population that cannot compete on the labor market (people with limited opportunities, young people who are looking for work for the first time, women with children, people of retirement age); the use of flexible forms of employment for a large number of internally displaced persons who have left their homes and refugees, which will reduce the unemployment rate in the country.

ВПРОВАДЖЕННЯ ТРАНСФЕРУ ЗНАНЬ ТА КОНЦЕПЦІЇ ФЛЕКСІК’ЮРІТІ ДЛЯ УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ДЕРЖАВНОГО РЕГУЛЮВАННЯ ЦИФРОВОЇ ЗАЙНЯТОСТІ

The concept of flexicurity is focused on creating a socially oriented labor market model in which flexibility and social protection are key components. These two components interact and contribute to the harmonious development of society, subject to active support from the state and the introduction of the concept of lifelong learning. This approach allows for the creation, development and retention of labor potential in the national market. It should be noted that digital employment is difficult to regulate on a national scale. However, the active development of this type of employment necessitates its monitoring and adaptation of national regulatory instruments. At the same time, digital employment, due to its predominantly remote nature, can be seen as a factor in reducing socio-economic risks in the face of global challenges. In the current environment, the ability not only to produce information and knowledge, but also to organize the transfer of knowledge and technology within the existing state system. The important element of knowledge transfer in Ukraine should be short-term training courses that will ensure the fastest possible adaptation of employees and consumers to the requirements of the modern digitalised economy. The concept of flexicurity is an ideology of state policy in the field of regulation of social and labor relations. The state establishes flexible conditions for hiring and dismissing employees, which provide employers with a freedom for modern restructuring. The introduction of the principles of rational employment, social security and respect for workers' rights, and the development of social dialogue should become the stages of implementing the basic criteria for relation to standard and non-standard forms of employment in the context of digitalisation. One of the elements of knowledge transfer with maximum efficiency and in a short time, based on the concept of flexicurity, is the organisation of short-term training courses in the system of formal and non-formal education.

Flexicurity in Polish IT companies - study results

The article is theoretical and empirical in nature. The primary research objective was to assess the feasibility of implementing flexicurity to IT companies, with a special focus put on its benefits and barriers. The achievement of the above objective was determined by the use of specific research methods. In the research process, critical analysis of the literature, content analysis, comparative methods, analytical-descriptive methods, and logical analysis were used. In addition, the above objective also conditioned the structure of the article. In the first part, relying on the literature, the definitions of the concept of flexicurity were analyzed, which made it possible to present in the second part of the paper, the selected results of the empirical study on the awareness, benefits and barriers resulting from the implementation of flexicurity to IT enterprises. The study covered 156 IT companies.

EMPLOYMENT FLEXIBILITY IN UKRAINE: ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS

Abstract. The changes in the economic and social spheres that occur in conditions of rapid technological changes and affect the structure, form and nature of employment are studied. It is argued that increasing employment flexibility, which is in line with the idea of expanding economic freedom for employers and employees, may exacerbate the social risks associated, in particular, with a weakening of the social security of employed. The existing foreign mechanisms of risk prevention in promoting employment flexibility are analysed, and it had reflected in the flexicurity concept. It is proved that the strengthening of employment flexibility in Ukrainian practice is accompanied by three main tendencies: diversification of employment forms that are characterized by flexibility; maintaining the rigidity of labour legislation on employment and employment in the public sector; preservation of the non-sufficient and inefficient level of social protection of flexible employment. Various points of view of different scientists on employment flexibility are analysed that allowed to study the specific forms of flexible employment in the Ukrainian economy. Proposals had developed to improve the conditions for the development of flexible employment, covering organizational, economic and institutional vectors. Keywords: employment, employment flexibility, social security, flexicurity. JEL Classification J24, J62 Formulas: 0; fig.: 3; tabl.: 0; bibl.: 16.

Intercooperation, flexicurity and their impact on workers: The case of Fagor Electrodomésticos

AbstractMondragon cooperatives have used flexible employment, training and labour protection policies to deal with economic crises since the 1970s. These policies were also used in 2013 to alleviate the social consequences of the demise of their biggest industrial cooperative, Fagor Electrodomésticos. This article aims to analyze—through 40 interviews with different stakeholders—the advantages and limitations of wage, working time and functional flexibility policies by framing them under the flexicurity concept. In contrast with previous research on Mondragon cooperatives, this study has found a strong worker‐owner resistance to flexicurity policies, mainly before the firm's bankruptcy. The study has also found the main reasons for worker resistance and for some successful Mondragon cooperatives’ reluctance to offer permanent relocations to redundant Fagor Electrodomésticos’ members. This research will help cooperatives to maintain and improve their flexicurity policies and their resilience. Some findings can be extrapolated to the growing number of firms that aim to implement flexicurity policies without harming their workers’ social welfare.

Fleksibilni oblici rada i radnog angažovanja

Global trends in the working world clearly show the changes in the character of labor relations with a significant representation of flexible forms of work. It is an atypical form of work organization that arises as a consequence of strong globalization flows, economic crisis, information and technological revolution, and which stands against the labor law standard of a classical employment, being represented in the form of the employment contract for an indefinite period of time with full time employment. Starting from the concept of flexicurity as the dominant concept in the EU, flexicurity seeks to establish a balance between flexibility in the organization of work in order to preserve stability. Through the flexible organization of work and working hours, there establishes a kind of balance between working hours, the rest time and time for socialization and social activity. However, on the other hand, a flexible organization of work can reduce the rights of the employees and workers outside the employment relationship, especially if this form of work is abused in practice by the contracts concluded contrary to their essence or legal norm. The authors use the historical, comparative-legal and sociological method, as well as the statistical data in the analysis of research subjects with the aim of providing the concrete proposals for the improvement of the existing normative framework.

Implementation of the Concept of Flexicurity in the Selected Countries of Central Eastern Europe

Kraje EŚW muszą wypracowac swoje wlasne polityki „flexicurity” (czyli elastyczności zatrudnienia polączonej z zabezpieczeniem socjalnym pracownikow), biorąc pod uwage wytyczne ogolnej polityki zatrudnienia, tradycje kulturowe i poziom rozwoju spoleczno- gospodarczego. Celem artykulu jest zbadanie i ocena realizacji koncepcji „flexicurity” w tych krajach na podstawie przyjetego zestawu zlozonych wskaźnikow. Analiza obejmuje 9 krajow EŚW, a badany okres to lata 2007 i 2013. Przegląd dotychczasowych badan pokazuje, ze brakuje badan uwzgledniających szeroki zestaw wskaźnikow wlączanych do syntetycznego wskaźnika „flexicurity”. Ponadto nie ma publikacji porownujących elastycznośc i bezpieczenstwo rynkow pracy w poszczegolnych krajach EŚW lub porownujących odnośne wskaźniki w roznych punktach czasowych. Ten artykul probuje wypelnic te luke. Przeprowadzona analiza syntetycznego wskaźnika „flexicurity” i jego cześci skladowych ukazuje duze roznice w realizacji tej koncepcji w poszczegolnych krajach EŚW. Rynek pracy w krajach EŚW charakteryzuje sie nadal ostrymi przepisami dotyczącymi ochrony zatrudnienia, co oslabia jego funkcjonowanie. Z drugiej strony jednak kraje EŚW dokonaly duzego postepu w ostatnim dziesiecioleciu we wdrazaniu aktywnej polityki rynku pracy i niestandardowych form zatrudnienia. W wiekszości badanych krajow glownym problemem jest stosunkowo mala liczba pracownikow doskonalących swe umiejetności zawodowe oraz zapewnienie bezpieczenstwa materialnego pracownikom zatrudnionym na niestandardowych umowach o prace.

Implementation of flexicurity in Slovenia

Flexicurity remains an important policy instrument in the EU and will be especiallyimportant in the changing economic and labor market environment, characterized with changing nature of work and development of new forms of work. Purpose. This paper examines the implementation of flexicurity policies in Slovenia and compares them with the EU countries. Design/methodology/approach. As there is no uniform measure of flexicurity, the analysis is structured in accordance with four elements of flexicurity policies, developed within the EU, and suitable indicators: (i) flexibility of contractual relations; (ii) lifelong learning; (iii) active labor market policies; and (iv) social protection system. Analysis uses descriptive statistics for last available years and compares these data with crisis year 2010. Data for international comparisons were obtained from the European Commission, Eurostat and Organization for the Economic Co-operation and Development, Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia and the Employment Service of Slovenia. Findings and iImplications. Slovenia has in the past already performed labor market reforms that relate to flexicurity components, yet there is still room for improvement. These are especially needed in the field of lifelong learning and expenditures for active labor market policies, where Slovenia is at the tail of the EU countries. In the front of flexibility, a significant decline in the employment protection was noticed with the last legislative change in 2013, which aimed at reducing segmentation and increasing labor market flexibility. In the front of social protection, Slovenia is among the EU countries with the most generous social systems, which, on the other hand, create high work disincentives. Limitations. This study focuses only on the presentation of the recent indicators of flexicurity components, which is one of its major limitation. Future research should study in more detail the effects of flexicurity on labor market, reconsider the importance of flexicurity in assuring decent work and develop a more comprehensible measure of flexicurity. Originality. The paper adds to the existing literature on Slovenia by giving an overview of recent developments of flexicurity concept, pointing on the areas that require policy response.

Desmontando la seguridad en las políticas de empleo: la propuesta europea de flexiguridad

A pesar de no tener muchos años de vida, el concepto de flexiguridad cuenta con una dilatada historia debido al peso sustantivo que se le ha concedido en todas las políticas de empleo europeas auspiciadas por el Modelo Social Europeo. Se trata de un concepto que se gesta en un contexto de regulación política laxa (soft governance) en el que no existe una tradición de políticas sociales y de empleo específica, al ser un espacio institucional internacional donde podrían confluir diversas tradiciones de los Estados miembros. Teniendo en cuenta estos aspectos, este artículo se propone profundizar en el significado y carácter ideológico-político del concepto de flexiguridad. Para ello, en primer lugar, indagamos en su contexto de producción y en las teorías y paradigmas de regulación en los que se basa; en segundo lugar, se realiza un análisis del discurso de algunos de los textos de la Comisión Europea centrados en este concepto, evidenciando la carga semántica desigual de flexibilidad y seguridad en su seno y la transformación semántica que la seguridad experimenta. Esta evidencia descubre una nueva realidad del mundo del trabajo en la que trabajador y empresario parecen haber intercambiado sus roles: el trabajador tiene el deber moral de empoderarse mediante la adquisición de capacidades adaptativas (su situación laboral dependerá de haberlo hecho o no), mientras que el empresario deviene en un agente vulnerable ante los nuevos flujos económicos.

Impact of Flexicurity Policies on the Romanian Labor Market

Abstract Along with joining the EU and with the desire to be compatible with the European labor market, flexicurity begins to penetrate gradually the Romanian labor market, becoming a topical concept, an economic and social recovery tool. In the simplest possible way, flexicurity can be defined as the compromise between flexibility and work safety. The flexicurity principle was born as a solution to the European dilemma: how to increase the competitiveness of European enterprises in global competition without sacrificing the European social model. Although a gradual passage is attempted, the tradition of a profession inherited from one generation to another or a stable job still exists in the human resource mentality, but it no longer exists in the present society. The concept of flexicurity is relatively new, introduced in Europe in 2006, when the principles of flexicurity were developed, but they were implemented according to the economic specificity of each EU member state. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects that EU accession has had on the Romanian labor market and the subsequent steps to harmonize Romania with the European Union requirements from the point of view of human resources management, flexicurity at the labor market. In Romania, the flexicurity balance is balanced, in the sense that the trade unions support a broader level of security, and the employers tend to a greater degree of flexibility. In conclusion, the Romanian labor market to develop a high degree of flexicurity must aim at increasing employment and reducing long-term unemployment, promoting workplace security and reducing the rigidity of labor law, especially in case of voluntary dissolution of firms, or of collective redundancies. In addition, the flexibility of collective and individual work contracts is also sought.

Flexicure labour market structures

The article discusses the added value of social policy approaches which can be characterized as ‘flexicure’ based on a comparison of Germany and Austria. It offers an insight into some of the central labour market and policy developments in these countries, which share a number of common principles and structures but differ quite strikingly when viewed through the lenses of the flexicurity concept. This comparison serves as a basis for a discussion about the desirability of reforms to reinforce the ‘flexicurity score’ of any national legal order as well as the multitude of forms which the concept can take to match diverse legal and socio-economic traditions.

The European flexicurity concept and the Dutch and Danish flexicurity models: How have they managed the Great Recession?

AbstractIn the mid‐2000s, the flexicurity concept was developed into a key EU policy concept. It drew its inspiration from the Danish and Dutch practices to combine labor market flexibility and security. However, the crisis' focus on bringing down national deficits and debts left little room to advance the concept. Lately, more emphasis has been placed on the need to take into consideration the social aspect of economic policy‐making. Current EU level documents see flexicurity as a guidance for structural reforms. However, the European flexicurity initiatives seem never to have had much impact in Denmark and the Netherlands. There are few accounts of the recent adjustment to the flexicurity models, be it at the EU or at national levels. Therefore, this article assesses the fate of flexicurity by scrutinizing its (adjusted) use as a political concept as well as a socio‐economic model. Although the Danish flexicurity model resembles the European flexicurity concept to a large extent, recent reforms have, overall, weakened rather than strengthened the flexicurity model. The Dutch flexicurity model has a narrower focus on normalizing atypical work, while recent reforms support this narrow flexicurity model. Meanwhile, the EU level concept has been changing every year, encompassing a growing number of issues.

Efektivita trhu práce ve světle opatření konceptu flexikurity: příklad České republiky a Švédska v období 20062015

The paper is aimed at assessing efficiency of adopted measures of the concept of flexicurity in Sweden and Czech Republic in 2006-2015. It examines hypothesis that the matching process can be made more efficient by increasing the labour market flexibility. The Beveridge curve depicting the relationship between the unemployment and job vacancies is used to demonstrate a change in efficiency of labour market policies. The correlation analysis is used to address possible reasons for weaknesses of active labour market policies. Research findings show a better efficiency of the matching process in a rigid labour market, with the hypothesis being confirmed only for Czech Republic. However, the Czech labour market was fighting against higher imbalances than the Swedish one, throughout the whole period under review, with the most threatened unemployed having been both young and older people.

Farewell flexicurity? Danish flexicurity and the crisis

Before the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008, flexicurity topped the European labour market and social policy agenda. It was acclaimed for combining the flexibility of liberal labour markets with the security of social welfare states, thereby offering a viable formula for success in the new global economy. Nowhere was this better exemplified than in Denmark, with the Danish system repeatedly highlighted as a good example of flexicurity in action. In this article, we revisit the flexicurity concept, assessing how the Danish labour market came through the crisis. We argue that the economic crisis and especially political reforms of the unemployment insurance system have challenged the institutional complementarities of flexicurity, but that the Danish labour market is recovering and adapting to new challenges. The Danish case illustrates that institutional complementarities between flexibility and security are fragile and liable to disintegrate if the institutions providing flexicurity are not maintained and supported.

Flexicurity in the European Semester: still a relevant policy concept?

ABSTRACTBefore the crisis, flexicurity was a leading European Union (EU) policy concept, which aimed to balance labor-market flexibility and security. The recent focus on austerity measures to reduce public deficits might be thought to have reduced attention to the ‘security’ component of flexicurity. Accordingly, a ‘farewell to flexicurity’ has been claimed to have occurred. This paper challenges that claim and explores the role of flexicurity within the European Semester. It analyses the European Semester’s policy goals between 2007 and 2016, as well as the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) to member states between 2009 and 2015. The analysis shows that the EU flexicurity concept has been revitalized, while its definition changed to encompass more social concerns. Even at the peak of the crisis, CSRs continued to devote attention to elements of both flexibility and security, although the precise details differed across countries and have changed over time.

Flexicurity and relocation of manufacturing

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the concept of flexicurity in the context of reshoring manufacturing to high cost countries. Flexicurity is a combination of flexibility, measured by a high level of worker mobility between jobs; social security, representing a generous system of social welfare and unemployment benefits; and active labor market programs. The paper includes flexicurity data from a Danish questionnaire-survey on offshoring and reshoring manufacturing and empirical insights from two illustrative case studies. The cases demonstrate that the flexicurity model had played an important role in the relocation of manufacturing to Denmark, albeit data from the questionnaire-survey indicates some focus on flexicurity as a factor for moving manufacturing back to home countries.

Applying Sociological Knowledge to Produce Positive Social Change. - New Forms of Employment and the Case of Flexicurity

This paper considers flexicurity as a potential strategy to improve labour market, especially in times of economic crisis. Flexicurity is defined as a grated strategy aimed at simultaneously improving a) flexibility and security in the labour market b) social cohesion at a time of intense social changes with lack of social protection and instability c) flexible and reliable contractual arrangements (FCA) d) comprehensive lifelong learning (LLL) strategies e) effective active labour market policies (ALMP); and Modern social security systems (MSS). Thereafter, the paper presents a state of the art regarding the typologies of the flexicurity concept. Based on the state-of-the-art, and in order to explain the different levels of flexicurity strategies among EU member states, the authors suggest the criteria of examining and analysing the features of the good examples of flexibility policies at the regional and local level of EU. Based on those criteria, the authors then develop a typology of flexicurity initiatives. The specific characteristics of those initiatives are analysed. Finally, a discussion about the types of regions for application is taking place

The Debate on the Concept of Flexicurity at the European Union Level

The Debate on the Concept of Flexicurity at the European Union Level

Flexicurity Towards Responsibility for the Labour Market Changes

The concept of flexicurity has been a key issue in the discussions and activities of institutions of the European Union in the field of employment and social policy for about two decades. The purpose of this article is to analyze the idea of flexicurity in the context of responsibility for development of the labour market. The responsibility is mostly transferred to the state and employees, while the employers are exempt from accountability for the social costs associated with the fluctuations in the economic cycle. The article contains the analysis of the labour market flexibilisation process and its compensation with the security system, critical approach to flexicurity models and challenges associated with the implementation of this concept.

Which Securities for Workers in Times of Crisis? An Introduction

The articles of this special issue ‘Which securities for workers in times of crisis?’ deal with the reactions of national labour law in response to the ongoing economic crisis. Four conventional wisdoms are challenged. A first conventional wisdom is to present the legal answers to the ongoing economic crisis as contingent by nature – in other words, existing only in response to, and during times of, crisis. The second wisdom concerns the functioning of labour markets and their division into two groups: insiders and outsiders. The third wisdom is that fundamental social rights could play an active role in defining new securities for workers. Finally, the fourth conventional wisdom concerns the myth of flexicurity. We ask whether it is now time to abandon the flexicurity concept since its security side has been left dormant.