Globalisation and flexicurity Torben M Andersen Department of Economics Aarhus University November 216
Globalization Is it Incompatible with High employment Decent wages (no working poor) Low inequality Extended welfare state
Nordic experience Routinely classified as small, open economies = highly globalised Welfare model developed in a globalised environment; Common understanding need to be competitive Not politics against markets The model depends on maintaining a high employment level -Ambitious distributional goals
Globalisation and competitiveness Globalisation KOF index Ease of doing business World Bank Competitiveness World Economic Forum Denmark 7 3 12 Finland 11 13 8 Norway 13 6 11 Sweden 8 9 9 # countries 24 189 14
Cross country performance Tax burden: 25% vs 5 % of GDP Trade share: 2% vs 5 6% of GDP 45 Per capita income, PPP US $ 4 35 3 25 2 15 1 5.6.62.64.66.68.7.72.74.76.78.8 Income equality: 1 Gini
Nordic Model: Employment dependent model High tax burden + generous transfers Budget very sensitive to the employment level Financial viability presumes a high employment level Also crucial for living standards, per capita income etc.
Employment over the life cycle 1 9 Employment rate 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 15 19 2 24 25 29 3 34 35 39 4 44 45 49 5 54 55 59 6 64 65 69 7 74 Minimum Maximum Denmark Norway Finland Sweden
Low inequality labour market outcomes are crucial Inequality above average Inequality below average % deviation from average 3 25 2 15 1 5 5 1 15 2 25 NOR DNK FIN SWE NLD GER FRA CAN ITA NZL AUS JPN UK ISR USA Markedsindkomst Market income Omfordeling Redistribution Total
The Danish flexicurity model Combining flexibility and security Lax hiring and firing rules (EPL) Maintaining job search incentives Maintaining human capital Generous unemployment insurance (UIB) Active labour market policy (ALMP)
Unemployment 12 1 8 % 6 4 2 2 23 26 29 212 215 Denmark OECD EU Low youth unemployment Low long term unemployment
Main characteristics High level of jobturnover Many affected by unemployment, but most unemployment spells are short Low long-term unemployment % of employment 35 3 25 2 15 1 5 Easy entry for young 1999 23 27 211 215 Inflows to jobs Outflows from jobs
Labour market transitions one quarter 1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Denmark Switzerland Sweden Estonia Norway Austria Finland Portugal Latvia Hungary France Czech Republic Netherlands Cyprus Slovenia United Kingdom Lithuania Spain Romania Ireland Italy Poland Luxembourg Slovakia Bulgaria Greece Unemployment employment Unemployment unemployment Unemployment inactivity
Large adjustments across sectors Denmark during boom (25.1-28.3) and recession (28.1-29.3) 25 2 15 1 5 5 1 15 2 Increase Decrease
Perceptions jobs and globalisation Your personal job situation Globalisation.5.45.4.35.3.25.2.15.1.5 Very good Rather good DK Rather bad EU Very bad Don't know.8.7.6.5.4.3.2.1 Globalisation represents a good opportunity for (NATIONALITY) companies thanks to the opening up of markets, Globalisation represents a threat to employment and companies in (OUR COUNTRY), DK Don't know EU
Education and qualifications Strong focus on education: 4 Indicator life long learning Public education system 35 3 25 Labour market training (life-long learning) 2 15 1 Flip-side: ressource use Education: 6.1% of GDP ALMP: 1.8% of GDP 5 Denmark Switzerland Sweden Iceland Finland Norway Netherlands Luxembourg France United Kingdom Austria Slovenia Estonia Spain Portugal Germany Czech Republic Belgium Lithuania Hungary Italy Cyprus Malta Ireland Latvia Poland Slovakia Croatia Greece Bulgaria Romania
Labour market and qualifications Close link between education and Employment rates Wages. Retirement Health Education and labour market policies - crucial for distributional objectives! Important to ensure a high qualification level for the entire labour force % 1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Globalisation New technology Policy response Low Medium High Beskæftigelsesandel Employment share Andel Share of af work arbejdsstyrken force
Conclusions Globalization has not implied a retrenchment of welfare arrangements Flexicurity: Employment remains high Few working-poor Copes with large adjustments in the labour market Not a crisis -free model Need to continously adjust labour market policies Challenge: to reduce fraction of youth without labour market relevant education Active policy approach Active labour market policies Education/live-long learning