Europe's mass unemployment and the call for extensive labour market de-regulation have, perhaps more than any other contemporary issue, impassioned political debate and academic research. With contributions from economists, political scientists and sociologists, Why Deregulate Labour Markets? takes a hard look at the empirical connections between unemployment and regulation in Europe today, utilizing both in-depth nation analyses and broader-based international comparisons. The book demonstrates that Europe's mass unemployment cannot be directly ascribed to excessive worker protection. Labour market rigidities can, however, be harmful for particular groups. The weight of the evidence suggests that a radical strategy of de-regulation would probably cause more harm than benefits for European economic performance.

Originally published in 1986, this book analyses the impact of the changing economic and political climate on trade unions in Europe. The first part of the book deals with general issues, and the succeeding parts look at developments in the UK, Italy and the former West Germany.

This book critically examines the ramifications of reforms to higher education institutions. All of the higher education system reforms implemented in western countries over the last three decades have had one fundamentally important aim: namely, that of changing the existing institutional and system governance arrangements. This book argues that within this general framework, Italy is a relative latecomer to a scenario where attempts at university reform have been characterized by considerable difficulties, and have been blighted by the arguably poor quality of policy design. By focusing on the Italian reform trajectory as an emblematic case, and providing a comprehensive of the historical evolution of higher education in Italy and further afield, this book adopts a comparative perspective to show how reforms of governance in higher education may achieve different degrees of success depending on the characteristics of their policy design, and why these reforms inevitably lead to a series of unintended consequences. It will be vital reading for those interested in education policy and the history of education.

Originally published in 1986 the first part of this book outlines some of the general problems of technological change and labour relations. It discusses the politics of rationalisation and of industrialisation in the car industry by examining case studies of Volkswagen British Leyland and FIAT. The impact developments exert on trade unions in the UK, Germany and Italy is discussed simultaneously.

Originally published in 1986 the first part of this book outlines some of the general problems of technological change and labour relations. It discusses the politics of rationalisation and of industrialisation in the car industry by examining case studies of Volkswagen British Leyland and FIAT. The impact developments exert on trade unions in the UK, Germany and Italy is discussed simultaneously.

During the post-World War II period, a pattern emerged in several European countries: centralized and concerted political regulation of the economy based on Keynesian policies, the development of the welfare state and moderately successful attempts at tripartite agreements. This pattern underwent a serious crisis in the 1980s, however, and in the view of many observers was replaced by a far-reaching deregulation of the economy. In contrast to this view, Professor Regini argues that social and political institutions have by no means lost their ability to structure economic activities. They have, in fact, shaped the different ways in which the European economies have adjusted to market conditions. Regini argues that while it is wrong to see deregulation as a general trend taking place in formerly institutionally regulated economies, the relevant institutions have changed. A pattern of "micro-social" regulation of European economies has emerged as a potential replacement for the "macro-political" one, though the boundaries between the two forms of regulation remain quite uncertain. This volume discusses the conditions under which a change from a macro to a micro form occurs, as well as the features of the emerging pattern.

Recent scholarship on the role of the state in designing regulatory policies in the industrialized democracies has identified a shift from the increasingly direct role of the state in the 1970s to a diminishing role in the 1980s. The essays in this volume provide a systematic analysis of the contemporary means of regulation employed in a range of economic and social policy areas in Italy. They support the general thesis that policy in Italy is characterized by a complex interaction of state, market and social regulation, rather than by a general trend away from state intervention.

This book, first published in 1990, analyzes the relative impact of class and status groups versus demographic composition and political structures on the growth of welfare spending in Italy. Special attention is given to the role of the aged as representative of the importance of ascription and middle-class groups in welfare growth. The authors conclude that the primary beneficiaries of welfare benefits are not the poor but middle income groups and that income inequality is reinforced by welfare spending.

During the post-World War II period, a pattern emerged in several European countries: centralized and concerted political regulation of the economy based on Keynesian policies, the development of the welfare state and moderately successful attempts at tripartite agreements. This pattern underwent a serious crisis in the 1980s, however, and in the view of many observers was replaced by a far-reaching deregulation of the economy. In contrast to this view, Professor Regini argues that social and political institutions have by no means lost their ability to structure economic activities. They have, in fact, shaped the different ways in which the European economies have adjusted to market conditions. Regini argues that while it is wrong to see deregulation as a general trend taking place in formerly institutionally regulated economies, the relevant institutions have changed. A pattern of "micro-social" regulation of European economies has emerged as a potential replacement for the "macro-political" one, though the boundaries between the two forms of regulation remain quite uncertain. This volume discusses the conditions under which a change from a macro to a micro form occurs, as well as the features of the emerging pattern.

Europe's mass unemployment and the call for extensive labour market de-regulation have, perhaps more than any other contemporary issue, impassioned political debate and academic research. With contributions from economists, political scientists and sociologists, Why Deregulate Labour Markets? takes a hard look at the empirical connections between unemployment and regulation in Europe today, utilizing both in-depth nation analyses and broader-based international comparisons.

Mediterranean Capitalism Revisited brings together leading experts on the political economies of southern Europe-specifically Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal-to closely analyze and explain the primary socioeconomic and institutional features that define "Mediterranean capitalism" within the wider European context. These economies share a number of features, most notably their difficulties to provide viable answers to the challenge of globalization. By examining and comparing such components as welfare, education and innovation policies, cultural dimensions, and labor market regulation, Mediterranean Capitalism Revisited attends to both commonalities and divergences between the four countries, identifying the main reasons behind the poor performance of their economies and slow recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2008. This volume also sheds light on the process of diversification among the four countries and addresses whether it did and still does make sense to speak of a uniquely Mediterranean model of capitalism. Contributors: Alexandre Afonso, Leiden University; Lucio Baccaro, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies; Rui Branco, NOVA University of Lisbon; Fabio Bulfone, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies; Giliberto Capano, University of Bologna; Sabrina Colombo, University of Milan; Lisa Dorigatti, University of Milan; Ana M. Guillen, University of Oviedo; Matteo Jessoula, University of Milan; Andrea Lippi, University of Florence; Manos Matsaganis, Polytechnic University of Milan; Oscar Molina, Autonomous University of Barcelona; Manuela Moschella, Scuola Normale Superiore; Sofia A. Perez, Boston University; Gemma Scalise, University of Bergamo; Arianna Tassinari, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.

Mediterranean Capitalism Revisited brings together leading experts on the political economies of southern Europe-specifically Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal-to closely analyze and explain the primary socioeconomic and institutional features that define "Mediterranean capitalism" within the wider European context. These economies share a number of features, most notably their difficulties to provide viable answers to the challenge of globalization. By examining and comparing such components as welfare, education and innovation policies, cultural dimensions, and labor market regulation, Mediterranean Capitalism Revisited attends to both commonalities and divergences between the four countries, identifying the main reasons behind the poor performance of their economies and slow recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2008. This volume also sheds light on the process of diversification among the four countries and addresses whether it did and still does make sense to speak of a uniquely Mediterranean model of capitalism. Contributors: Alexandre Afonso, Leiden University; Lucio Baccaro, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies; Rui Branco, NOVA University of Lisbon; Fabio Bulfone, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies; Giliberto Capano, University of Bologna; Sabrina Colombo, University of Milan; Lisa Dorigatti, University of Milan; Ana M. Guillen, University of Oviedo; Matteo Jessoula, University of Milan; Andrea Lippi, University of Florence; Manos Matsaganis, Polytechnic University of Milan; Oscar Molina, Autonomous University of Barcelona; Manuela Moschella, Scuola Normale Superiore; Sofia A. Perez, Boston University; Gemma Scalise, University of Bergamo; Arianna Tassinari, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.

After a decade dominated by `neo-liberal' policies and by increasing managerial pressures towards labour flexibility in industrial relations, the role of labour movements is under challenge. In the light of the experience of the 1980s this volume provides an interdisciplinary reassessment of the traditions and future of collective worker's action in Western states. Contributors assess the roles of labour movements as actors in the economic system through such mechanisms as collective bargaining, and as actors in the political arena. Labour movements and the institutions in which they are embodied, particularly trade unions, are also examined in the light of the broader social movements from which they originate. Bringing together comparative research from a number of countries, this collection presents a unique source of analysis of recent and future trends in labour movements.