Competition Policy and the Swedish Model

The aim of this paper is to present some findings from a study on the development of competition policy in Sweden since 1945. The comprehensive questions are about the view on knowledge in competition policy, the trust to the Swedish model, the change of the model and what has replaced it, and the attitudes to competition and co-operation in politics, authorities and interest groups. The study is basically built on government bills and directives to committees, committee reports, and comments on the later from authorities and interest groups. Typical signs of the Swedish model were a consensus and co-operative attitude towards interest conflict, with institutional arrangements aimed for negotiations and pragmatism. This was also typical for competition policy. During the 1990s we find a change to an EU-model. It meant a transition to a more legalistic and theoretic view on competition. When it comes to attitudes they changed successively in the direction of favouring competition before co-operation. The change was however radical when it comes to politicians and competition authorities. Not least the later came to argue for an “antitrust” view on competition. However, business interests were sceptical to the new competition law copying the EU-model.competition policy; Swedish model

The Sustainable Society in Swedish Politics. Renewal and Continuity

The aim of this article is to study how the ideas of a sustainable society have developed and adapted to Swedish politics. It starts with the assumption that new ideas have a greater possibility to make a difference if they adapt to the political culture, and if important actors make the ideas their own. This issue is studied for the years 1988-2004. One conclusion is that social democratic welfare ideology has given its imprint in the rhetoric of a sustainable society. Another conclusion is that the ideas has been obtained in party ideology from left to right and been adapted to traditional ideological differences. That is true not least for the means: state or market, regulation or competition, central or local, experts or democracy etc. On the surface the sustainable society could be seen as a common vision for the future but in politics on party level it is a controversial issue.sustainable society; Swedish politics

Emergence of Foresight Activities in Swedish Government Authorities

This paper discusses and aims to explain the emergence of foresight activities in Swedish government authorities, including environmental scanning and analysis, futures studies and other activities trying to detect and analyse change in the surroundings of the organisation. To explain the growing importance of foresight activities we must consider the increasing administrative authority given to public authorities in recent years, and the development of information technology that has given new technological opportunities to conduct foresight. Furthermore, structural (and institutional) changes - such as globalisation and the development of the EU - created a need and incentives for more foresight activities.Foresight; Futures studies; Swedish government authorities; Public authorities; Information; Information society; Globalisation; Internationalisation; Technological change; EU

The Employers in the Swedish Model The Importance of Labour Market Competition and Organisation

The way the labour market functions is a crucial factor in any analysis of the Swedish model. Full employment contributed to the growth of what were probably the two most important institutions in this model: centralised negotiations between the social partners and, secondly, the Rehn-Meidner model, involving pay policies based on solidarity with the low-paid. Here, we have examined the role of the employers in the rise, application and fall of the centralised bargaining model. In this respect, the Swedish Metal Trades Employers' Association (VF), the largest and most important employer organisation in the peak association SAF, was the actor whose interests eventually led to the model's demise. The principal cause was discontent over the way this bargaining model worked in practice. The engineering industries felt their interests were being neglected in the giant employer collective. This empirical investigation into an employer organisations's internal actions, combining economic history with organisation theory, shows the importance of the market mechanism for employer policy during full employment. They sought a solution to the problem of wage drift. Significantly, it began by helping to push through centralised bargaining in the 1950s. When wage drift subsequently showed a tendency to decline towards the end of the 1970s, this was seen as a result of more extensive local and regional organisation. Competition and wage drift, it was felt, could be handled better through local collaboration than through large-scale collective action. One of the institutions of the Swedish model had thereby met its end.Employers Swedish Model; Labour Market Competition and Organisation

Strategisk omvärldsanalys vid myndigheter

This paper analyses strategic foresight (omvärldsanalys) in Swedish government authorities and asks questions on the scope, rationale and drivers, organisation, functions, results and content in reports, methods and theories, and importance. The answers to these questions pinpoint the phenomenon of strategic foresight. They provide also the basis for answering more fundamental questions: What is the advantage of strategic foresight in government authorities? Are there differences in benefits between authorities, and what can be said about quality? It is argued that benefits vary with the organization, activities and tasks, quality and position in the organization. Management behaviour is a key factor. Strategic foresight has specific procedures similar to research, and has gained in importance as interpreter of societal change and the future. One explanation could be an increased need for rapid analysis of change since uncertainty is perceived as a growing problem.Strategic foresight; Swedish government authorities; Management behaviour; Societal change; Future; Analysis of change; Uncertainty

Socialt kapital och karteller

This study discusses social capital and related concepts that can be useful when analysing cartels. Different types of definitions of social capital are discussed. It is concluded that organisations can generate social capital which results in increased ability to cooperate in efficient ways. Organised social capital can lead to confidence, facilitating cooperation when trust is not enough. The empirical case discussed in the paper is cartel formation in Swedish brewing industry. This study confirms many results indicated in different case studies: the importance of organisation, leadership, control apparatus, industry specific circumstances, and that cartel success often is preceded by failures. The brewing case is used in the theoretical discussion of social capital. The societal context of this study is the stricter cartel policy since the 1990s. A hypothetical construction of four phases for 1870-2009 is made, based on institutional environment and possibilities for cartels to cooperate efficiently.Social capital; Cartels; Swedish brewing industry; Cartel policy; Institutional environment

Visioner om IKT i arbetslivet. Från distansarbete till arbete när som helst och var som helst?

This report discusses various aspects of telework and virtual organization based on international research. Visions of a future, where a large proportion of the workforce is working on a distance from the office, have been around since the 1970s. However, telework has not received the extent that many believed and hoped it will. Research in this area shows that there are barriers to overcome before telework will develop into a dominating phenomenon in the labor market. However, the technical progress in ICT has also led to new visions of a working life where people work anytime from anywhere. Work is becoming increasingly mobile. Probably we will see an evolutionary trend towards greater flexibility, including telework and virtual organizations, as a long-term effect of the IT revolution.Telework; Virtual Organization; ICT; Mobile Work; IT-revolution; Labor Market