This book pursues principal aims. First it describes and reviews current concerns in regard to the conditions of labour markets, production organizations, working conditions, and industrial and employment relations. Prominent among these concerns are the crisis in trade unions and in democratic labour market institutions, and the rise of what many critics regard as technocratic administrative powers in the displacement of democratic practices. Furthermore the book explores aspects of the search for socio-cultural innovation in the wide areas of work, industrial, organizational, management, and employment relations. It therefore deals with participatory democratic practices in the world of work and production, with citizenship, social cohesion, wider participation in education and training, as well as with cultural interests in identity, solidarity and non-market values.

Workers, Citizens, Governance - Socio-Cultural Innovation at Work

Participation is a social process, which is basically part of an exchange relationship. Thus, it is principally pluralist and ambiguous in its meaning. As a consequence, the reconciliation of voices needs innovative approaches to support balanced participation experiences. The ambivalent character of participation intends to provide a look at new initiatives in the various fields of work­place participation. Leading international scholars examine the role of institutional contexts for participation, the development of new forms of interest organisation as well as the relationship between organisational performance, participation practices and quality of working life. The contributions are not limited to taking stock of new experiences in the field of workplace participation, but also contribute to designing a new research agenda.

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