New Governance Encounters Neo-Corporatism. How Dynamics of Professionalization Challenge Swiss Associations

Abstract:

This chapter analyzes how the New Governance discourse and its instruments are absorbed by the Swiss VET system. Thus, it sheds light on the encounter and interaction of New Governance ideas with a neo-corporatist skill formation system. Both of these governance regimes favor decentralized, network-likely modes of governance aiming to promote broad participation. However, it is argued that New Governance also inherently brings an added impetus to professionalize “steering” processes. As such, New Governance challenges Swiss professional associations that work mostly on a voluntary basis. This is demonstrated by focusing on the – often neglected – implementation level. Interviews with representatives of the professional associations of two occupational fields make it evident that New Governance ideas and instruments run the risk of giving professional associations and individual firms with more resources at their disposal a greater influence over VET.