Leaders' lack of knowledge about the Norwegian model threatens competitiveness

Today, Vedøy is a senior lecturer at the Department of Leadership and Organisation at Kristiania University College in Oslo.

“For decades we have educated leaders without them having to learn anything about the Norwegian model. It is a long time since the Norwegian model, cooperation between the social partners and joint decision-making was on the leadership training curriculum,” says Vedøy.

Kjetil Vedøy, senior lecturer at the Department of Leadership and Organisation at Kristiania University College in Oslo, was invited to talk about what students and leaders learn about the Norwegian model.  

He has worked as a top executive in HR and leadership for more than 20 years, including serving as HR manager at IKEA and director for the Work Environment Centre. Vedøy was one of the speakers and participated in the debate during the launch of this year’s Medbestemmelsesbarometer (Joint decision-making barometer).

Need for adult education

Kjetil Vedøy believes it is important to look beyond Norway and the Nordic region when talking about leadership and HR. After all, what good is a brilliant model if those chosen to lead or run HR do not know enough about it and have little respect for the agreement framework or know little about the rules of cooperation?

Senior lecturer Kjetil Vedøy (left), Unn Alma Skatvold, President of the Norwegian Police Federation and researcher Inger Marie Hagen.

Leaders from around the world work in Norway today, and Vedøy has held courses for some of them.

“I try to explain to foreign leaders how the Norwegian model works, but it is nearly impossible to make them understand,” said Vedøy.

He still thinks it is important not to let go of Norwegian values and to work towards making the Norwegian model work in an international labour market.

“There is a lot we can bring to the table, and joint decision-making is perhaps one of the best things,” argues Vedøy.

International owners and values

Kåre Slåtten is an associate professor in organisation and management at the University of South-Eastern Norway and Kristiania University College. He too underlined the impact of an internationalised labour market. He pointed out that many of Norway’s tradition-rich large companies today are not owned nor run from Norway.

Slåtten believes this could impact leadership and HR.

“People working with HR in Norway report to management somewhere else in the world. This could impact how people manage their HR work,” Slåtten said.

Like Tvedt, Slåtten is also worried about a lack of knowledge about the Norwegian model.

“We teach students about the Norwegian model, but they know little from before. We have a job to do to teach them how this works,” Slåtten said.

Going over familiar ground

The Medbestemmelsesbarometeret head of project Inger Marie Hagen underlined that it is far from the first time that knowledge about the Norwegian model is put on the agenda.

AFI researchers Inger Marie Hagen (left) and Elin Moen Dahl presented the results from this year's  Medbestemmelsesbarometer.

She pointed out that two official reports – the Norwegian Power Investigation of 2002 and the Joint Decision-making Report of 2010 – both underlined the importance of teaching about the Norwegian model.

“We are now in 2024, and are highlighting the exact same issue,” said Hagen.

Alarm bells

Kjersti Barsok, President of the Norwegian Civil Service Union (NTL), believes the lack of knowledge of the Norwegian model should make alarm bells go off among leaders, elected representatives and employees in both the public and private sectors.  

Kjersti Barsok is the President of the Norwegian Civil Service Union (NTL). She thinks children, young people and adults should learn more about the Norwegian model.

“It is very worrying if those who are meant to lead do not understand that which is our big competitive advantage, namely the Norwegian model,” said Barsok.

She also believes leaders and students alike need schooling in cooperation between the social partners and joint decision-making.

“Just like the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions LO’s summer patrols for youths, we might need a “summer patrol” for leaders that checks whether they have had the necessary training in the Norwegian model – because if they haven’t, it will be hard for them to do a good job,” said Barsok.

Should be on the curriculum

When it comes to the younger generation, Barsok points out that a joint trade union movement wants the Nordic model to be included in school curriculums. This is not the case today.  

“That is a shame. Many young school leavers have learned nothing about the Norwegian model. When they enter the labour market, elected representatives have to do that job. We teach both employees and leaders,” pointed out Barsok.