Even before the onset of economic downturn in 2008-9, UK policy on employment, work and welfare had reached an impasse, with little evidence of new ideas, either in relation to the final years of New Labour or the Coalition Government, as to how to tackle deeply entrenched problems beyond adherence to neo-liberalism. This article explores whether a capabilities approach, as originally developed in the work of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, offers a potential framework for new thinking. It is argued that the capabilities approach is best thought of not as offering a detailed road map for policy, but as providing a critically different conceptualization of the purpose and principles of public policy. In seeking an alternative to neo-liberal hegemony a capabilities approach therefore can provide a framework for new thinking, and an underpinning ideological narrative from which policy development can flow.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a brief introduction to activation policies, then discuss the capability approach, in particular highlighting a number of key concepts relevant to the analysis of active labour market policies. The second section presents the articles in this special issue, which address organisational innovation in activation policies and cover: six European countries (including Scandinavia and East and West Europe); an historical perspective; and policies aimed at the general workless population along with those targeted at specific groups e.g. disabled people. The final section emphasises three important teachings from this special issue. This paper introduces the special issue on the theme of activation policies and organisational innovation in the capability perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a normative and analytical framework. Its relevance for empirical fieldwork is then illustrated through a synthesis of the case studies presented in the special issue.FindingsIt is argued that the capability approach provides a highly useful framework for analysis of activation policies. Across the diverse range of organisational innovation examined in the articles in the special issue, a capability perspective allows for identification of a number of common themes and failings.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper lies in the presentation of a diverse range of organisational innovation in relation to activation policies, and using a capability approach as a framework for analysis.
Active labour market policy (ALMP) is a well-established strategy but one aspect is greatly neglected – employer participation – about which there is a lack of systematic evidence. The question of why and how employers participate in ALMP, and whether there may be some shift from employers solely being passive recipients of job-ready candidates to having a more proactive and strategic role, is addressed by drawing on new research into Talent Match, a contemporary UK employability programme which places particular emphasis on employer involvement. The research findings point to a conceptual distinction between employers’ roles as being reactive gatekeepers to jobs and/or being proactive strategic partners, with both evident. It is argued that the Talent Match programme demonstrates potential to benefit employers, jobseekers and programme providers, with devolution of policy to the local level a possible way forward. The conclusion, however, is that the barrier to wider replication is not necessarily a problem of practice but of centralised control of policy and, in particular, commitment to a supply-side approach. Empirical, conceptual and policy contributions are made to this under-researched topic.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.