In a certain number of countries, notably those that would be described in a social innovation and production system approach as socio-economic models of European intergration, the 1990s were marked by the exploration of a new social compromise that was largely based on shorter working hours. Germany, under the influence of its labour union organisations, acted as a trailblazer in this area. The agreement Volkswagen signed to manage excess its staff numbers by means of a work-sharing scheme instead of by cutting jobs, symbolised this quest. In France, the law on the 35 hour work week implemented a similar compromise by making it clear that shorter working hours could be negotiated in exchange for more flexible timetables and greater efforts to increase productivity. Major concessions were often obtained, to such an extent that many employees viewed the advent of the 35 hour work week as detrimental to their situation (on this score, see the book coordinated by Patrick Fridenson together with Bénédicte Reynaud, La France et le temps de travail [“Working hours in France”] (1814-2004), published by Odile Jacob, Paris, January 2004)

The automobile industry was at the forefront of this movement. Examples include Volkswagen’s pioneering role in Germany or the agreements that the French carmakers PSA and Renault signed with their own union organisations. Even as the 35 hour work week was being implemented in France, Toyota took the decision to build up its facilities in the North of the country, demonstrating that, in and of itself, the law did not constitute a major obstacle to incoming localisations.

It remains that compromise is coming under attack today, notably from German car and component manufacturers, starting with DaimlerChrysler and Volkswagen. The difficulties currently being encountered by these firms, which operate more or less along the lines of a Sloanian model (like the European subsidiaries of the American carmakers Ford and GM [Opel]), raises questions about the problems that a Sloanian productive model will face in the institutional environment that corresponds to the so-called European integration socioeconomic model, which for so long had seemed to carry the Sloanian model.

By focusing on this issue, we will be able to measure what is really at stake in the themes that GERPISA will be dealing with in its new international research programme, Varieties of capitalism and the diversity of productive models, launched last June in conjunction with the European ESEMK project. In addition to existing members in this consortium, we would also like to invite all network members to participate in what will be a major scientific and social investigation.