The Nordic model of HRM from 1995-2021– a case of ‘bounded change’?

Article

Gooderham, P.N., Olsen, K.M., Sandvik, A.M., Smale, A., Bévort, F., Einarsdóttir, A. and Tengblad, S. 2025. The Nordic model of HRM from 1995-2021– a case of ‘bounded change’? The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 36 (12), pp. 2018-2050. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2025.2462050
TypeArticle
TitleThe Nordic model of HRM from 1995-2021– a case of ‘bounded change’?
AuthorsGooderham, P.N., Olsen, K.M., Sandvik, A.M., Smale, A., Bévort, F., Einarsdóttir, A. and Tengblad, S.
Abstract

The aim of this comparative study is to investigate the degree of continuity in the distinctiveness of private-sector Nordic HRM in terms of calculative and collaborative HRM in relation to the prototypical liberal market economy – the UK – and the prototypical coordinated market economy – Germany. Our analysis employs firm-level data from the Cranet survey for the period 1995-2021. In line with institutional theory and its concept of ‘bounded change’ our findings indicate that, notwithstanding structural change and institutional developments, the Nordic countries continue to be characterized by a relatively low adoption of calculative HRM and a relatively high adoption of collaborative HRM. As such, they continue to constitute a cluster of countries that is distinctive in relation to both the UK and Germany.

Keywordscalculative HRM; collaborative HRM; institutional theory; bounded change; Nordic HRM
Sustainable Development Goals17 Partnerships for the goals
Middlesex University ThemeCreativity, Culture & Enterprise
Research GroupProfessional Practice group for Leadership, Work and Organisations
PublisherTaylor & Francis (Routledge)
JournalThe International Journal of Human Resource Management
ISSN0958-5192
Electronic1466-4399
Publication dates
Online13 Feb 2025
Print04 Jul 2025
Publication process dates
Submitted29 Jun 2023
Accepted27 Jan 2025
Deposited29 Jan 2025
Output statusPublished
Publisher's version
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Open
Copyright Statement

© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original
work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2025.2462050
LanguageEnglish
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