Dr. Philip Whyman is currently Reader in Economics at the University of Central Lancashire (UK). His research interests focus upon the Economics of European integration together with the development of the ‘Swedish Model’. Recent publications include The Impact of the Euro (Macmillan, 2000) and Sweden and the ‘Third Way’ (Ashgate, 2003).
2004 0-7734-6476-X Explores the background to, and impact made by, one of the most ambitious and controversial policy innovations ever attempted in Sweden, namely the economic democracy reforms. The Wage-Earner Funds proposal, advanced to strengthen the celebrated Rehn-Meidner economic model, in addition to promoting employee influence over their working lives, encouraged theoretical and predictive texts. This book draws upon a substantial Swedish-language literature, together with over fifty interviews with leading actors involved with the issue. It further evaluates the concept of collective funds as a policy instrument to meet multiple objectives, and comments upon the future viability of this approach.