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the Dutch miracle: institutions, networks and trust

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  • Butter, Frank A.G. den

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculteit der Economische Wetenschappen en Econometrie (Free University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics Sciences, Business Administration and Economitrics)

  • Mosch, Robert H.J.

Abstract

Between 1982 and 2000, the Netherlands experienced a remarkable economie recovery. Labour participation rose from a European low of 52 percent to the European average of 65 percent. Unemployment decreased from a high of 14 percent to a present-day low of 2% percent, while government finances and social security were reorganised. This paper aims to demonstrate how the Dutch culture of consensus, reflected in the Dutch institutional consultation structure, was one of the main driving forces of this recovery. The trust enhancing effects of the institutional framework, in which government, unions, employer organisations, centra1 bank and advisory bodies meet each other fiequently in forma1 and informal atmospheres, produced an environment of mutual trust and co-operation that was capable of effectively dealing with the problems. Two decades of wage moderation and increased labour market flexibility have led to economie prosperity without significant social unrest. It is an example of an institutional fiamework that transforms trust between persons and organisations at the micro leve1 to positive macroeconomic effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Butter, Frank A.G. den & Mosch, Robert H.J., 2001. "the Dutch miracle: institutions, networks and trust," Serie Research Memoranda 0018, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
  • Handle: RePEc:vua:wpaper:2001-18
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    Cited by:

    1. Paul T. de Beer & Robert H.J. Mosch, 2007. "The waning and restoration of social norms: a formal model of the dynamics of norm compliance and norm violation," DNB Working Papers 131, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department.
    2. Frank A.G. den Butter, 2012. "Managing Transaction Costs in the Era of Globalization," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14748.
    3. Frank A.G. den Butter & Sjoerd ten Wolde, 2011. "The Institutional Economics of Stakeholder Consultation; Reducing Implementations Costs through 'Matching Zones'," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 11-162/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    4. W. Jos Jansen, 2008. "Inside The Impossible Triangle: Monetary Policy Autonomy In A Credible Target Zone," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 26(2), pages 216-228, April.
    5. Butter, Frank A.G. den & Koppes, Silvie Y., 2003. "Strikes in France and the Netherlands; a comparison of labour market institutions," Serie Research Memoranda 0012, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
    6. Berggren, Niclas & Daunfeldt, Sven-Olov & Hellström, Jörgen, 2014. "Social trust and central-bank independence," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 425-439.
    7. den Butter, Frank A. G. & van Gameren, Edwin, 2004. "Employment policy in a dynamic labour market: simulations using a multifirm flow model," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 53(2), pages 283-301, February.
    8. Lex Borghans & Ben Kriechel, 2009. "Wage Structure and Labor Mobility in The Netherlands, 1999-2003," NBER Chapters, in: The Structure of Wages: An International Comparison, pages 125-148, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. John T. Addison, 2016. "Collective bargaining systems and macroeconomic and microeconomic flexibility: the quest for appropriate institutional forms in advanced economies," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-53, December.
    10. Alexander Hijzen & Pedro S. Martins & Jante Parlevliet, 2017. "Collective Bargaining Through the Magnifying Glass: A Comparison Between the Netherlands and Portugal," IMF Working Papers 2017/275, International Monetary Fund.
    11. Kang, Byeongwoo & Nabeshima, Kaoru & Cheng, Fang-Ting, 2015. "Avoiding the middle income trap : indigenous innovative effort vs foreign innovative effort," IDE Discussion Papers 509, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    12. Jante Parlevliet, 2017. "What drives public acceptance of reforms? Longitudinal evidence from a Dutch pension reform," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 1-23, October.
    13. W. Jos Jansen & Ad C. J. Stokman, 2006. "International Rent Sharing and Domestic Labour Markets: A Macroeconomic Analysis," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 142(4), pages 792-813, December.
    14. Robert Gillanders & Olga Neselevska, 2018. "Public Sector Corruption and Trust in the Private Sector," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(8), pages 1288-1317, November.
    15. David Chavanne, 2018. "Generalized Trust, Need for Cognitive Closure, and the Perceived Acceptability of Personal Data Collection," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-18, April.
    16. Lewis, John, 2009. "Hitting and hoping?: Meeting the exchange rate and inflation criteria during a period of nominal convergence," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 508-524, December.
    17. Butter, Frank A.G. den, 2006. "The industrial organisation of economic policy preparation in the Netherlands," Serie Research Memoranda 0007, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
    18. Lei Delsen & Erik Poutsma, 2005. "Labour market institutions and economic performance in the Netherlands," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 169-196.
    19. Eichhorst, Werner & Wintermann, Ole, 2005. "Generating Legitimacy for Labor Market and Welfare State Reforms: The Role of Policy Advice in Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden," IZA Discussion Papers 1845, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    labour market policy; institutional framework; networks; trust;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

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