About FAOS
FAOS - Employment Relations Research Centre - is a Research Centre at the Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen. FAOS was formed on 1 January 1990, as a research group attached to the Sociology Institute. On 1 January 1999 it was given the status of a research centre. Since its formation, FAOS has focused on studies of the labour market, industrial relations and, in recent years, employment relations, applying Danish, Nordic and European perspectives.
Goals:
Goals:
- To add to the existing fund of basic knowledge of employment relations, thus extending our understanding of the complex pattern of development currently taking place on Europe’s labour markets. This goal is to be achieved by conducing empirical and theoretical studies in Danish, European and global perspectives
- To work in close association with related research environments in Denmark and other countries, with a particular focus on participation in joint comparative research projects with an international dimension.
- To contribute to the training of Ph.D. students.
- To publish research results and to maintain a dialogue with the labour market parties and with the relevant administrative/political institutions.
FAOS is currently (2004-2009) working within the framework of a 5-year research programme: Internationalisation, Multi-level Regulation and the Danish Model
The programme focuses primarily on a) analyses of the changes taking place in the collective bargaining system and organisational structures, and b) relations between the labour-market parties and the political system at local (workplace), national and international (European) levels.
Multi-level regulation reflects the growing complexity of the labour market, which is characterised by:
- a blend of individual contracts, collective agreements and statutory provisions,
- trends towards centralisation, decentralisation and internationalisation, and
- a large number of actors with different and often conflicting interests, influenced by new norms and values.
In compliance with its goals, FAOS forms and joins many international researcher networks. The centre participates in research projects carried out in co-operation with the labour-market parties.
FAOS has the status of a national centre under the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO – www.eiro.eurofound.ie)
FAOS has the status of a national centre under the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO – www.eiro.eurofound.ie)
FAOS’ research programme 2004-09 is funded by trade unions, employers’ organisations and the Ministry of Employment. In addition, FAOS often carry out shorter projects financed by specific organisations, ministries or others on topics similar to those in the research programme. The basic fund are going to be renewed in 2009.