The Economics of Codetermination: Lessons from the German Experience [Hardcover]

Mixing economic theory and empirical analysis, this book tackles the economics and econometrics of codetermination, rooted in the German Mitbestimmung. The core themes are an examination of the theory and practice of co-determination at plant (work councils) and enterprise (worker directors) levels.Introduction Context: What is Codetermination? The Theory of Codetermination The Early Econometric Literature on Works Councils The Emergence of a More Positive View of Workplace Codetermination The Impact of Workplace of Codetermination Evaluation of Codetermination at the Enterprise Level European Rules for Informing and Consulting Workers and the European Dimension Codetermination in Retrospect and Prospect

With declines in private sector unionism in the US and much of Europe, attention has turned to alternative workplace institutions that might substitute for or complement unions. A natural place to turn has been the German model of codetermination. John Addison provides a comprehensive and deft analysis of the economics literature on codetermination, which focuses on its effects on performance - productivity, wages, profits, investment, employment, training, and flexibility. Emphasizing recent work, Addison s concludes that these effects are varied, affected by situation, and for the most part modest - far removed from the simplistic caricatures that proponents and opponents might draw. For those interested in how changes in workplace institutions and governance impact worker well-being and economic performance, Addison s analysis of the German experience is essential reading, albeit one that will tame the passions of both naIve proponents and opponents of enhanced worker participation. - Barry Hirsch, W.J. Usery Chair of the American Workplace and Prof. of Economics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

The Economics of Codetermination is a truly masterful piece of scholarship that sums up decades of path-breaking empirical anlă5