Describes, analyses, and assesses the European social dialogue from a combined theoretical and normative perspective and applies theoretical strands stemming from industrial relations, EC law, and political theory to an understanding and assessment of the genesis, actors, processes, and outcomes of the European social dialogue through 2007

Social models are always contested and ambiguous. This is particularly evident in the field of human resources management, where decisions that ultimately affect the patterns of social relations are made every day. This collection of in-depth essays focuses on some central human resources elements – gender, youth, ageing, educational background, training, workers’ rights – providing an up-to-date summary and analysis of how employers are dealing – and should be dealing – with workforce characteristics under current globalized forces. The emphasis is on Europe, but valuable insights come also from Chile, Canada, and the United States. Sixteen experts discuss such important issues as the following: the shift from intervention in favour of workers’ rights towards corporate neo-liberal policies; importance of transnational framework agreements in countries where a trade union; tradition is lacking; evidence that provision of childcare promotes female labour market participation; short-time working, labour hoarding, and labour underutilization; enhancing training policies for employable skills; enforcement of corporate social responsibility; alarmingly high rates of precarious employment; worldwide decline of full-time permanent positions; pension system reform; over-exposure of young people to non-standard employment; discouraged workers; regional imbalances in employment policy; and weaknesses of education programmes in connection with the world of work. Industrial relations and human resources professionals as well as employment lawyers worldwide will welcome this incisive analysis, and academics everywhere are sure to benefit from its evidence, insights, and proposals. The book presents a selection of papers from the international conference in commemoration of Marco Biagi entitled Europe 2020: Comparative Perspectives and Transnational Action, held at the Marco Biagi Foundation in Modena, Italy. 17–19 March 2011.

Market volatility and uncertainty have put welfare and social security policies back centre stage and point up the need for closer links with employment policy. The inability of existing income support systems to respond to the increasing fragmentation of people's working careers, the needs of people in difficulty, and the spread of various forms of poverty calls for well-coordinated and efficient responses. This volume highlights the best practices in the various regions of the world in the contexts of international and EU labour law, industrial relations, and social security. Authoritative reports by leading scholars of labour law and social security – originally presented at the twenty-second World Congress of the International Society for Labour and Social Security Law (ISLSSL) held in Turin in September 2018 – cover the following research themes in depth: – informal workers; – migrant workers; – global trade and labour; – organization, productivity, and well-being at work; – transnational collective agreements; – new forms of social security; and – the role of the State and industrial relations. In its insistence that, despite the radical changes in the world of work and business brought about by globalization and digital technologies, the decisions of institutions and public and private actors can lead to a more coherent system of international economic and social governance, this timely volume shows the way forward. Practitioners, policymakers, and scholars in the relevant fields will bene_ t immeasurably from its expert analyses and recommendations.

The dollar has been the dominant currency of the world economy for almost a century; since 2002, the euro has gained widespread international acceptance resulting in important institutional, economic and financial changes both for the euro zone, the United States and the world economies, affecting foreign exchange and financial markets as well as economic activities around the world. In years to come, the international role of the euro will hinge on the validity of the fundamental idea underlying its creation, namely that important components of sovereignty can be pooled and shared among nations in the pursuit of common economic and political objectives. This key book assesses the international role of the euro, discusses its impact on global financial markets, shifting global exchange rate relationships and their implications. With input from various disciplines (economics, business and political science), it foments discussions intended to facilitate an exchange of ideas among academics, practitioners and the local business community.