New Governance and the Case of Activation Policies: Comparing Experiences in Denmark and the Netherlands

McQuaid, Ronald W.; Lindsay, Colin; McQuaid, Ronald W

Abstract

This article explores the importance of new forms of governance in active labour market policies (activation) in two countries: Denmark and the Netherlands. Drawing on research with key stakeholders in these countries, we analyse how new governance, and particularly processes of contracting-out and localization, have found expression in recent reforms to activation. We conclude that localization and contracting-out may have a future role to play in the development of more locally responsive and individually focused services. But both countries have encountered problems in promoting joined-up services through local job centres, while contracting-out has not always led to the tailored, individually focused services envisaged by policy-makers. In both countries, there are also concerns that the restriction of the Public Employment Service to a ‘gatekeeping and signposting’ role will lead to inconsistencies in the quality of services, exposing the most disadvantaged to greater social risk.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2009-10
• Deposit Date: May 3, 2011
• Print ISSN: 0144-5596
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-9515
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 43
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 445-463
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9515.2009.00673.x
• Keywords: Unemployment; Public employment service; Employability; De-monopolization; Denmark;The Netherlands
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/4393
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9515.2009.00673.x