Bringing labour markets 'back in': Restructuring international businesses in Europe

This article argues that labour market institutional differences need to be taken more into account to explain the diversity in restructuring processes undertaken by multinational companies (MNCs) within national contexts in Europe. Using an in-depth case study analysis of 12 international corporations affected by diverse restructuring processes in the Netherlands, Italy, France, Austria, Denmark, Ireland and Sweden, local social partners' responses to change are seen to be shaped within their national frameworks. However, more variation is found among (and within) national labour market systems, which implies a dynamic version of institutional variations.