The paradox of liberalization – understanding dualism and the recovery of the German political economy

Hassel, Anke (2011) The paradox of liberalization – understanding dualism and the recovery of the German political economy. LSE 'Europe in Question' discussion paper series (42/2011). London School of Economics and Political Science, London.

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Abstract

What do the recent trends in German economic development convey about the trajectory of change? Has liberalization prepared the German economy to deal with new challenges? What effects will liberalization have on the coordinating capacities of economic institutions? This paper argues that coordination and liberalization are two sides of the same coin in the process of corporate restructuring in the face of economic shocks. Firms seek labour cooperation in the face of tighter competitive pressures and exploit institutional advantages of coordination. However, tighter cooperation with core workers sharpened insider-outsider divisions and were built upon service sector cost cutting through liberalization. The combination of plantlevel restructuring and social policy change forms a trajectory of institutional adjustment of forming complementary economic segments which work under different rules. The process is driven by producer coalitions of export-oriented firms and core workers’ representatives rather than by firms per se.

Item Type:	Monograph (Discussion Paper)
Official URL:	http://www.lse.ac.uk/europeanInstitute/LEQS/LEQSHo...
Additional Information:	© 2011 The Author
Divisions:	European Institute
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe)
Date Deposited:	27 Sep 2013 13:42
Last Modified:	13 Sep 2024 20:20
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/53212

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