Research — Nordic Labour Journal

2018 – a trying year for Statistics Norway’s independence

(Dec 17, 2018) Statistics Norway (SSB) did not hold back in its description of itself in its latest annual report: “SSB acts as Norway’s first line of defence in the fight against fake news by providing objective and relevant statistics, research and analysis to help understand Norway,” it says.

Denmark leads the way on statistics using microdata

(Dec 17, 2018) When it comes to statistics, Denmark is leading the way in the Nordics as well as internationally. Half a century of data-gathering from personal information registers provides detailed statistics about Danes and their working lives.

OECD: Politicians put too much trust in the GDP

(Dec 17, 2018) Do we have the necessary statistics to govern our societies in the best possible way? Or is a blind trust in statistics to blame, at least indirectly, for the collapse in trust in authorities after the financial crisis? Before dismissing this as a conspiracy – the theory was presented by none other than the OECD.

Marjo Bruun: The new economy is a statistical challenge

(Dec 17, 2018) Marjo Bruun, Director General for Statistics Finland, considers journalists to be the most important partners in the fight for honest words and digits.

Nordic statistics: frontline defenders of truth

(Dec 16, 2018) Narrowing social gaps is what defines democracy. If the figures only reflect growth but not how it is distributed, we end up with the wrong political decisions. The five Nordic statistics central agencies work every day to show and explain how the Nordics tick. But there are many challenges when it comes to maintaining trust and creating the statistics we need.

The research project against all odds: Olli Kangas on Finland’s universal basic income

(Jun 22, 2018) Does Finland’s experiment with a universal basic income prove that this could be a solution for the future? We will not know until 2020. But in one way, the research project has already been a success – the fact that it was possible to carry it out at all.

Norwegian employers: applicants with in-work training end up further down the pile

(Feb 08, 2018) Being unemployed as a young person has a stigmatising effect that can last for years. This is underpinned by comprehensive research. But is it always better to work, no matter what quality job you can get? Could it actually be better not to? Could a labour market course worsen your chance of employment?

Joint Nordic project on the future of work

(Dec 11, 2017) The Nordic ministers of labour have launched a comprehensive research project led by the Norwegian research foundation FAFO, studying how Nordic working life might look like in 2030. The knowledge resulting from the research will be used for further cooperation on the future of work in the working life sector.

Risk-based inspections on the wrong track?

(Dec 05, 2017) Nordic labour inspection authorities still have some way to go to perfect their methods for identifying businesses for inspection. But critics who imply that these authorities lack the will to seek out risk, are off target.

Fighting poverty in EU – a tale of five cities

(May 20, 2016) The European Union made the combat against poverty and social exclusion one of its main goals in 2008. 20 million vulnerable people should be helped to a better life by 2020 in a coordinated effort, according to the European Commission. The main tool would be active inclusion. But its easier said than done.

Finland’s basic income experiment attracts interest

(Apr 17, 2016) Finland’s planned empirical experiment with a universal basic income has attracted a lot of international interest before it has even started. An expert group has now presented its first preliminary report of how some social benefits could be replaced by a universal basic income. It will present a more comprehensive report towards the end of the year.

Working life research and the future

(Oct 23, 2015) Where are the working life researchers in the debate about the future? asks Ann Bergman, Professor in working life science at the University of Karlstad.

New challenges for working life research

(Oct 23, 2015) Big Data is the new buzzword for the enormous increase in stored information across the world. But how will this information stream influence working life and working life research?

Threats and Possibilities facing Nordic Working Life

(Nov 03, 2014) Guy Standing has analysed the devastating effects for the labour market of deregulation and un-limited competition and found a new social class emerging from the shattered well fare society – the precariat – “The Dangerous Class”.

Researchers: Employment has become more important than job content

(Sep 10, 2014) Working life has been on the agenda during the Swedish general election campaign, and especially unemployment. More jobs are needed. Yet visions for the content of those jobs have not figured politically — an inconsistency highlighted by a group of researchers at a recent meeting in Stockholm.

Work environment gives Nordic growth sectors competitive edge

(Dec 14, 2012) How can the Nordic region face the challenges of growing globalisation? Where is the potential for growth and rising employment? Nordic researchers recommend measures which could help authorities and businesses make better use of growth opportunities.

The right use of space improves office work

(Sep 16, 2012) Disturbing sounds like high volume conversations are often an environmental problem in workplaces, and it can lead to loss of concentration and more mistakes being made. Now new research out of Finland shows it is possible to reduce such inconveniences through flexible space concepts.

The Nordic model marries growth and equality

(Sep 13, 2012) For five years now the Nordic model has been the subject of a study which aims to establish whether the model can manage to modernise. A conference in Oslo at the end of August marked the end of REASSESS, where 80 reports and five books were presented over two intensive days.

How about a personal trainer - for your brain?

(Apr 15, 2012) The Nordic Labour Journal can now add another job to the list of new occupations: ‘personal brainer’. The title holder is Finnish Reidar Wasenius. He recently made a 20 years old dream come true and opened a training centre for brains - BRIIM Center - in Helsinki.

Unemployment can be defined away

(Mar 08, 2012) The definition of employment and unemployment differs from country to country. A comparative historical perspective shows the political context - how the problem is presented and how its constituent parts change - steers our understanding. The standard views of employment are no longer relevant in countries like the US or France, according to social historian Noel Whiteside.