WAGE-FORMATION, FROM CENTRAL AGREEMENT TO LOCAL ABILITY TO ACT - An interview study of the discourse(s) of wageformation - between social partners and Employers on the Swedish labour market

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to identify institutions and market forces through discourses concerning central and local wage-formation. This study’s objective is to contribute to the research field of wage-formation with insights, descriptions and plausible explanations into what discourses and discrepancies in discourses surrounding the Mark is present. Theory: Institutional theory, Varieties of capitalism Method: Qualitative semi-structured interviews and thematic coding displayed with inspiration from discourse analysis as a method Result: The found discourses are thematised into: The Mark as political, The Mark as legitimacy, The Mark as ideology and Challenging the Mark. These themes describe ambiguity towards the presence and role of the Mark; The deep rooted tradition of using the Mark as norm (with individual incentives); And local social partners evolving role; from traditional opposition towards being a copartner for employers in creating a legitimate wage process in the societal context going from collectivism towards individualisation.