Workplace Development Programmes as Institutional Entrepreneurs; Why They Produce Change and Why They Do Not

2016 – This doctorate thesis is an evaluation of the Finnish programmes for ‘workplace development’ or ‘workplace innovation’.

Finnish programmes
Finland has a tradition of decades of programmes for ‘workplace development’ or ‘workplace innovation’. These programmes are largely funded by the government and coordinated by TEKES, the ‘Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation’.
Since 1996 this coordination was in the hands of the Chief Advisor of TEKES, dr. Tuomo Alasoini. Over the years, he wrote many articles about the programmes. Of those articles six have been put together in this thesis, his second one. He added a scientific evaluation and reflection of 145 pagesand successfully defended that thesis at the University of Aalto on March 11, 2016.
The most recent Finnish programme is Liideri – Business, Productivity and Joy at Work Programme 2012-2018 and Alasoini is its director.
See: https://www.tekes.fi/en/programmes-and-services/tekes-programmes/liideri/

Results
The research shows that this kind of national programmespays off. A learning process starts in the involved clusters of organisations, which under certain conditions, such as employee involvement, is leading to improved organisational performance  and a better quality of working life simultaneously. The impact outside those clusters appears to be limited.
Alasoini compares the Finnish programmes with initiatives elsewhere in Europe and in Asia.
Finally, he draws policy conclusions how to optimise programmes for workplace development.

Reference
Tuomo Alasoini (2016). Workplace Development Programmes as Institutional Entrepreneurs. Why They Produce Change and Why They Do Not. Aalto University publication series, doctoral dissertations 12/2016.
Key words: workplace development, workplace innovation, national programmes