Data Analysis

Data have been analysed by applying the principles of qualitative content analysis. The choice of this particular method has followed two main considerations. First, this stage of

data collection concerned a large number of narrative texts and formal documents, such as collective agreements, which needed to be thoroughly scrutinised. Second, one of the strengths of content analysis is that it follows specific analytic rules and step by step models that allow qualitative research to control the risk of being unscientific, arbitrary or subjective (Schilling, 2006).

Accordingly, five levels of observation have been undertaken: 1) from tapes via transcripts to raw data; 2) from raw data to condensed records; 3) from condensed to structured protocols (which helped separate the multiple levels of comparison – country, sector, company) to preliminary category systems; 4) from preliminary category systems to coded protocols; 5) analysis and interpretation (ibid.). This process was carried out with the support of Nvivo computer software, a useful tool for managing, retrieving, and coding the range of data collected, from open-ended interviews to direct observation notes.

3.5.3.1 Interviews Level 1-3

Interviews were transcribed, translated, and each one summarised in a report. These reports were sent to the supervisors and comments acknowledged. Both transcripts and comments have been imported in Nvivo.

3.5.3.2 Documents Level 1-3

Collective agreements have been imported into Nvivo. The documents in Italian have not been translated, but first order coding has been carried out in English.

3.5.3.3 Interviews & Documents Level 4

In order to explore the different forms of flexibility and security addressed by collective bargaining across Italy, Denmark, and the UK – and potential trade-offs between these – both interviews transcripts and agreements have been coded applying the same categories tested by Ibsen and Mailand (2011) and Marginson and Galetto (2015). Systematising the data according to the literature on the ‘missing link’ between flexicurity and collective bargaining provided continuity and consistency with existent findings.

The categories applied are: • Pay

• Working-time • Job demarcation • Training

• Social benefits and entitlements • Provision for atypical workers • Measures for employment

The different forms of flexibility and security, based upon Wilthagen and Tros (2004), are: - External Flexibility - Job Security

- Working time flexibility - Employment Security - Functional Flexibility - Income Security - Wage Flexibility - Combination Security

Categories have been coded according to their contribution to flexibility and security, as in the following examples. Table 3.5 and 3.6 exemplify the analysis carried out at the sector level and the company level respectively

Table 3.5 Coding of collective agreement provisions enhancing flexibility and security at the sector level

Categories of Flexibility

and Security Potential Collective Bargaining Provisions at the Sector Level Potential Flexibility Potential Security

Pay [IT 2002]: Introduction of guaranteed payments in

companies where no negotiations take place [DK] Minimum thresholds for company level bargaining

Wage Income

Income Training and Education [IT 2006]: Extra 1,5 days for training

[DK 2004]: 2 weeks training for dismissed employees

Functional Job (core) & Employment (temporary) Employment Working-Time [IT 1998]: over-time can be accumulated and used as

personal time off

[DK 2000] Working-time flexibility on a voluntary basis - involvement of shop-stewards needed

Work-Time Work-Time

Combination Combination Job-Demarcation [IT 2009]: 2009: Reform of Job Classification Functional Income Social Benefits [IT 2002]: Integrative Health Insurance

[DK 2004]: Pension contribution white and blue collars alike

Combination Income – Combination Provisions for Atypical

Workers

[IT 2002]: To supplement the law 198/97 all clauses specifying circumstances, restrictions on use and quotas for temporary workers are set

Job Measures for

Employment [IT 2006]: More flexible clauses to deploy atypical workers in the south of Italy [DK 2012] The period for gaining seniority

entitlements (when re-entering employment) reduced from 9 to 6 months

External Employment

Income - Combination

Table 3.6 Coding of collective agreement provisions enhancing flexibility and security at the sector level

Categories of Flexibility and Security

Potential Collective Bargaining Provisions at the Company Level

Potential Flexibility

Potential Security

Pay [Impresa1] Company Short-Incentive Scheme

[Firma2] Pay bargaining

Wage Wage Training and Education [Impresa2] Introduction of new job profiles

[Firma2] Vocational training provisions

Functional Job

Employment

Working-Time [Impresa1] Extended scope for on-call work [Firma1] Multi-flexible production

Work-Time Work-Time

Combination Combination Job-Demarcation [Impresa 1] Introduction of new job profiles Functional Income Social Benefits [Impresa1] Company Welfare Fund (Faschim)

[Firma1] Seniority Entitlements

Combination Income Provisions for Atypical

Workers

[Impresa 2] Use of agency workers for starting a new production line (2004)

External Job (Core)

Measures for Employment

[Forma2] Job Transfer Centre: internal forms of ALPM including training and job placement

Job

The contribution of the agreements towards trade-offs between flexibility and security was acknowledged when the agreements lead to a ‘balance’ or an ‘unbalance’ (Chapter 2).

Moreover, when exploring the relationship between sector and company level bargaining arrangements in Italy and Denmark and the influence that such a relationship exerts on the agendas of local actors over issues of flexibility and security, new codes have emerged and been applied to the data:

• Autonomy of company level social partners from sector level social partners • Autonomy of company level social partners from the headquarters

• Manager-union relationship

• Role of sector level collective agreements

• Coordinating mechanisms between bargaining levels • Role of company level collective bargaining

Finally, all annual reports, information briefings, press releases, minutes of meetings and power point presentations have been also imported into Nvivo and coded according to the

nodes below. Such nodes emerged by contrasting the literature on collective bargaining within multinationals with the lines of enquiry that structured the interview questions:

• Business segment • Product market • Nature of production • Workers characteristics • Internationalisation • Integration • Nature of Capital

• Degree of global competition • Competition within Europe • Nature of Buyers

Each stage of coding has been followed by memos that helped systematise the findings around three broad comparative themes: 1) issues of flexibility and security at the sector level in Italy, Denmark, and the UK; 2) the role of collective bargaining actors and institutions – both at sector and company level – in shaping the agenda of local level negotiations over flexibility and security in Italy and Denmark; 3) the extent to which firm- specific structural variables participate in the definition of outcomes. Memos enabled the researcher to record ideas, insights, interpretations or growing understanding of the research material and, at the same time, keep different stages of analysis separate from all the data available. Such memos have been pivotal during the ‘writing-up’ process as, first, they helped the researcher to capture relevant issues and exclude – but yet record – the irrelevant ones. Second, they allowed the researcher to keep in mind the significance of the codes for each chapter’s objectives.

3.5.3.3 Interviews & Documents Level 5

Once analysed, data have been triangulated to create a multiple case-study data-base and maintain a chain of evidence in line with the research objectives. The process of interpretation was based on the theoretical assumptions underpinning this comparative institutional analysis and presented at the beginning of the chapter. In particular, the researcher probed whether different groups of cases appeared to share some types of similarities – and/or differences – that deserved to be treated as instances of the same type of general case (Yin, 2003). This cross-case synthesis covered interrelated issues and, as a result, reduced the risk of limiting the analysis on single features. In order to make sure that

all the evidence was attended to, and that the interpretation accounted for all such evidence, a series of security checks were undertaken (Yin, 2003):

1. All major rival interpretations were considered. The external contribution of three supervisors was important in this respect.

2. The most significant aspects emerged with the case studies, and linked to the research questions, were addressed. No relevant issue was left behind because of possibly negative/unexpected findings.

3. New evidence has been included when available – such as new findings published by scholars on the matter and official documents produced by the social actors involved in the study. The researcher kept abreast of current thinking and discourses on the case-study topic and applied this knowledge in order to produce analysis of the highest quality.