Edward Elgar Publishing Paths of Public Innovation in the Global Age: Lessons from Scandinavia

Following the traditional Scandinavian welfare state model, the Nordic/Scandinavian model has recently become popular as a basic concept for shaping future approaches to European social politics. Challenging the Anglo-Saxon model(s) and the Continental model(s), the Nordic/Scandinavian model is regarded as a compromise between the two. In the context of this model, this engaging and comprehensive book presents a comparative discussion of the pursuit of innovation in the public sector. The author provides extensive examples from contemporary shifting regulatory environments in Scandinavia and argues that the importance of the Nordic/Scandinavian model path is due to its emphasis on social equality and active labour market policy. High public welfare expenses and heavy tax burden are compensated by high work productivity, low unemployment, flexible labour market, and encouraging subsidiarity policies. The outcome is 'flexicurity' which indicates that the flexible labour market's mode of functioning depends, per se, on the continuing existence of universal social security and public neighbourhood services. A fascinating read for students and scholars of public policy and European and Scandinavian studies, this book will also be of interest to civil servants and policymakers across the world.