ABSTRACT

Work is political. This understanding is central to the first five chapters of this book. The development of work not only involves a number of decisive political and social consequences; it is also to a great extent a result of complex political processes. The development of work is not just a predetermined consequence of the global economic and technological development, as often claimed. The economy and the market set a framework for the development of work, but the concrete formation of work is primarily the result of a political process, where many players inside and outside the company have intervened in the development. In Chapters 3, 4, and 5, we have studied this political process at company level. In this concluding chapter, we will discuss the politics of work beyond the boundaries of the company, and we will point out dilemmas and opportunities for an active work policy, carried forward by organizations, institutions, national states, and the international community.