In Focus
Special edition: AFI at 60
The Work Research Institute AFI in Oslo is 60 years old this year. It has been celebrated by a conference which presented some of the projects AFI researchers are currently working on. Sick leave is a hot political potato in Norway, and what is the true impact of working from home? The Nordic Labour Journal was there and we have also interviewed AFI Director Elisabeth Nørgaard.
The joys of WFH versus the pressure of always answering emails
More than half of Norwegian employees have the opportunity to work from home, any time of day or night. But at what price? AFI researchers are looking at how the increased use of home offices impacts the work-life balance.
AFI and Arbeidsliv i Norden: A Nordic view of working life
The Norwegian Work Research Institute AFI turns 60 this year. For 24 of those years, the institute has published Arbeidsliv i Norden (the Nordic Labour Journal) on commission from the Nordic Council of Ministers.
When global supply chains are threatened, reshoring increases
It is better to manufacture closer to your market and pay a higher price than to lose sales and get dissatisfied customers. That is why several Swedish companies have decided to bring production back home.
Did Norway just find the industrial future in Telemark's bedrock?
The Fen Complex in Telemark has something the world needs: Europe’s largest documented deposits of rare earth elements. Now, plans are underway again for mining in one of Norway’s oldest industrial communities.
Do globes have anything to do with globalisation?
Has the world entered a period of deglobalisation? Or are the forces of globalisation so strong that trade continues to grow, only in new ways? When new barriers are erected, what will the consequences be?
Could fewer international students damage Norway’s international standing?
The number of international students in Norway is falling dramatically. Fewer Norwegian students are going abroad and fewer international students are arriving. A loss for Norway, argue educational experts.
Norway doing construction in a more orderly way, but EU temping rules might stop it
When Oslo’s new government quarter is constructed, it is done with workers who have regulated wages and working conditions. This is ensured, among other things, by the controversial hiring ban.
Tight Nordic-Baltic cooperation against work-related crime
Work-related crime is a growing problem that requires cross-border collaboration between state authorities and countries. For several years, a Nordic-Baltic collaboration on work-related crime has been in place. In January 2025, it will be formalised on the initiative of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Denmark cracks down on social dumping and money laundering
Danish authorities have introduced tighter legislation and lawsuits to stop cooperation between gangs and lawyers in cases of money laundering and social dumping.
Coach to Norwegian ski stars: Burnout not worth it
Lage Sofienlund is a successful cross-country skiing coach. While training to be one, he asked himself more than once: “Is being a coach really a career?”
Living his boyhood dream on Faroese football pitches
Mikkel Dahl has played against global stars like Ivan Perisic, he has won the championship, the cup final and holds the record for most league goals. He has done it all with a club he never heard about before he was 27: Havnar Bóltfelag in the Faroe Islands.
Pro footballer: Takes more than playing ball
Santeri Väänänen (22) from Finland is a professional football player for Norwegian Rosenborg BK. Everyday life is pretty much the same regardless of which country you are playing in, he thinks.
The Swedish football club using sports against unemployment and for inclusion
The challenge for sports clubs is to attract those who have not yet become engaged, especially those who need support on their journey toward a healthier life and who want to become more involved in society. It’s about more than just building muscles.
Company sports enjoys high participation levels in Iceland
In most Nordic countries, company sports are overseen by a special federation. In Iceland, it is done by the public sports section at the National Olympic and Sports Association. Participation levels have been good, and the companies see more and more benefits from increasing them.
Swedish hospital uses AI to the benefit of patients and staff
What are the challenges with AI and which are the good examples that can be replicated? Skåne University Hospital is already using AI to diagnose and treat cancer patients. We look at AI in Skåne from three angles, inspired by the new technology at Skåne University Hospital.
Nordic Innovation at 50 – AI important now, but where are we in 2073?
“Everyone” is talking about AI these days. Nordic Innovation’s 50-year-old history shows that they were engaged in AI projects as early as the 1980s.
Danish AI cuts wind turbine downtime
Danish Reblade uses AI to help drones land safely on wind turbine blades to carry out repairs using robot technology. The company also uses AI to recruit the best talent from around the world.
Finland wants to teach the world more about AI
In the 1990s, Finland performed magic with mobile telephony and technology. Now the country wants to become a leader in artificial intelligence. The message is being spread around the world through a Finnish training program that has already taught a million people elementary AI.
“Develop a Nordic AI strategy or get overtaken by multinationals”
The Nordic region should develop a common strategy for ethical AI. That is the conclusion from an expert group that has studied Nordic collaboration on artificial intelligence.
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