Publisher's Synopsis
The 1990s have seen a strong revival of the debate on work organization, optimal use of human resources and direct participation of employees. Within the European Union, the Commission, the Social Partners and governments started a debate, which was further advanced as Europe was slipping into its worst post-war recession, demonstrating the need for structural adjustment. The European Foundation initiated a project examining European experiments on direct participation with the Japanese approach, and asking whether these new developments only represent a rationalization strategy with negative impact on employment. To what extent does direct participation diminish the influence of employee representatives and trade unions on the company level?
