Management In Scandinavia

This book contributes to the expanding field of cross-cultural and comparative management, and addresses the issue of whether the main Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Norway and Sweden – exhibit such similarities in management style and practice as to constitute a country cluster. It is based on a qualitative, interview-driven study of managers in companies matched by industry in the three countries and seeks to contextualise the research findings in a general discussion of the Scandinavian countries, showing their intertwined histories and similar institutions and values. The book argues that the central values of these managers are equality, informality, decency, and conflict avoidance; it shows that the behaviour of Scandinavian managers is inspired by these values and that they can be attributed to national culture and not to the peculiarities of any particular industry. Management in Scandinavia will be of interest to students and teachers of international management, as well as practitioners of business and management.

The project identified good Nordic management practices by analysing Nordic research on management, working conditions, and productivity. The project identified 2760 publications combining these topics and analysed in detail 38 core publications combining all three topics. The main findings were: 1. Nordic research that combine all three topics is limited in extend but broad in content and therefore fragmented 2. Values related to cooperation and participation permeated the publications, which sets them apart from EU and US publications. 3. The core publications identified positive relations between management practices, working conditions and workplace performance 4. Positive management practices are characterised by dialogue and cooperation between managers and subordinates. The research was conducted in 2012-2014 at Aalborg University, SINTEF, VTT, and Karlstad University.

Nordic companies and organisations are often distinguished by committedemployees and a high degree of creativity. One reason is a specific Nordicleadership style, which sets itself apart through the delegation of power and responsibility to employees and a high degree of consensus seeking, among other things. Nordic leaders also stress the necessity of co-operation. In addition, they play down their authority and often function more as coaches for their employees. It is also important that leaders are able to inspire their employees, and be visionary yet realistic at the same time. This report describes how various studies on culture, leadership and values characterise the Nordic leadership style. The report also attempts to find factors in Nordic societies that could help explain the leadership style in the Nordic region. Particular attention is given to two of these: the creation of the Nordic welfare state and the tradition of balancing different interests in society, especially within the labour market. The discussion of these factors is also supplemented by examining the role played by the industrial structure.

How are new forms of management received and adapted in Scandinavia? What are the consequences for workers and unions? And for productivity? And what are specific Scandinavian contributions to a decent and productive working life? Do the Swedish, Scandinavian and Nordic experiences discussed here show that another world of work is possible? This book has grown out of research based in a long Swedish and Scandinavian experience of and belief in welfare, qualifications, dialogue, equality and democracy at work, both as goals in themselves and as means to economic development. It gives critical Scandinavian perspectives, Nordic lights, on management and the new working life, in Scandinavia and elsewhere.

This study, originally published in 1986, examines the general characteristics of Swedish management, the relevant aspects of Swedish history and society, and explores the relationship between them. The character of Sweden’s management and industrial life is the product of wider social and cultural influence. This title will be of interest to students of economics and management.

This book on events-related research marks a watershed in the development of a "Nordic School" of festival and event research. Each of the chapters presents a new and interesting approach to the study of events, in terms of methods, perspectives or content. It is mostly rooted in management theory but also incorporating other perspectives that enhance our understanding of the phenomena. Implications for real-world applications in tourism, hospitality, and community development are also at the fore. The scholarship is comprehensive, not focused on only tourism or economic aspects. Management theory, including stakeholder management, social networks, and institutionalization processes is being applied. Attention is being given to the multiple roles festivals and events play in society, and to evaluation of their worth and impacts. Innovative methods are being developed to examine event experiences, innovation processes, and success factors. There is now a critical mass of scholars in the Nordic countries that share a strong interest in event studies, and they are engaged in collaborative research, making it an appealing and innovative region for other event students and researchers to visit. It can be expected that the Nordic school will take an increasingly important place in the development of event studies, which is now truly global in terms of scholarship and university degree programs. This book was originally published as a special issue of Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism.