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Social goals in the governance of the global economy
Globalization seems to have set in motion two opposite trends. On the one hand, the uncertainties of the current international economy have generated renewed demands for fair rules of the game from multiple quarters of society. On the other hand, the existing mechanisms for economic and social governance, predominantly national in scope, seem less and less capable to meet desires for protection and security.
Research on governance will seek to understand what kind of institutional frameworks may be appropriate to the challenges of the global era, and how this may create new spaces and demands for ILO action, within its existing mandate. This will involve analysis of existing institutions, how they might be strengthened, and their likely impact on enterprises and workers; and examination of emerging institutional innovations at both global and regional levels, including, in the case of regional developments, current efforts to strike a new balance between flexibility and security within the European Social Model. Research is needed to assess the significance and potential of such developments, and discriminate among them based on proximity to ILO values and goals.
An important aspect of international governance concerns the instruments for dealing with poverty, vulnerability and insecurity at the global level. As noted above, it is a particular concern for the ILO that existing multilateral arrangements for poverty reduction do not adequately reflect the role of decent work. The World Commission also expressed concern over the lack of means to protect those adversely affected by global economic developments, and evoked the possibility of a "socio-economic floor". These issues will be explored further, in cooperation with the relevant departments in the Office, by considering what kind of international instruments might be conceived to promote security in the face of global economic fluctuations. A first step will be to examine existing regional and global institutions aimed at promoting solidarity and equity.
A central issue for the ILO concerns the way the pattern of globalization affects the role and impact of international labour standards, and the Institute will contribute to thinking on this question. In particular it will explore the implications for social and labour rights of the growing reliance on "soft law". This needs to be complemented with reflection on how labour standards and related possible soft law instruments might be better connected with the international trade and investment agendas.
A related issue concerns voluntary instruments to promote social progress within global production systems. Corporate social responsibility is becoming a key issue in the analysis of social and economic governance, and an increasingly important policy instrument for companies. Both theoretical and empirical work will be carried out on the extent to which CSR practices take into account the different elements of the decent work agenda, exploring the implications for enterprise objectives, workers and local communities in different parts of the world.
Another development within global production systems concerns the emergence of new instruments of dialogue and agreement at the global level. Although they still cover only a very small fraction of the global labour market, they illustrate the tendency for the actors concerned to search out new mechanisms and institutional frameworks. The Institute will aim to develop a systematic knowledge base on these developments. This work will be able to draw on the extensive research carried out on governance issues in the Institute's research programme during 2004-05.
Another important governance issue concerns the proposed development of a multilateral framework for the cross-border movement of people. Complementing work that is already on the ILO agenda, the Institute's contribution will be to promote reflection on the lacunae and problems of the existing migration regime, and the needs, options and possibilities for new instruments of governance in this complex field.
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