Social Partnerships for Inclusion - Theoretical Understandings and Empirical Typologies

Article by Mikkel Mailand & Søren Kaj Andersen

Social partnerships for inclusion are tri- or multipartite co-operations aiming at creating inclusive labour markets.

It will be argued, firstly, that Marsh and Rhodes' policy-network model gives an adequate understanding of the internal dynamics of the social partnerships. The glue of these networks is power-dependence, meaning that any organisation is dependent upon other organisations for resources and that the organisations in order to achieve goals therefore exchange resources.

Secondly, the article contains an alternative to the Marsh and Rhodes' continuum from closed and permanent to open and ad hoc networks. The alternative takes the form of a continuum related to the partnerships' degree of self-governance vis-à-vis the politico-administrative systems. The article builds on results from the comparative research project Social partnerships in Europe - the role of employers and trade unions.

Article in Jens Lind, Herman Knudsen, Henning Jørgensen (eds.): Labour and Employment Regulation in Europe, p. 381-402, P.I.E. Pieter Lang, Bruxelles 2004.