KJC Korea
Journal Central

This study aims to examine the historical background of the peace and conflict resolution in the Nordic region and to analyze the context in which the Nordic countries have recently re-emphasized the idea of peace. The mutual cooperation of Nordic countries provided a representative rationale for the constructivist political theory that presented the concept of a security community. The Nordic countries, particularly during the Cold War, advocated human rights, peace and democracy in the face of military pressure from the USSR and the US. They also played a role as a peace mediator in areas where international conflicts were escalating. Also, after the end of the Cold War, each country influenced the European Union to establish foreign and security policies oriented toward normative power. However, more recently, military and security cooperation between Nordic countries has been strengthened based on the Nordic Defense Cooperation Organization (NORDEFCO), and this trend can be seen as a dilemma between the peace and military cooperation. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the pragmatic aspect of the security strategy that has been developed in the Nordic region. The ‘Nordic Peace’ brand can be understood as a strategic identity in which Nordic countries maximize national interests based on the idea of peace.

This study firstly summarizes the characteristics of the Scandinavian and Korean management style based on literature survey and after that, examines the validity of these characteristics using the survey results derived from GLOBE project examining leadership behavior and effectiveness across 62 countries. The literature survey shows that while the Scandinavian management style emphasizes the organization-wide consensus over companies’ vision and strategy based on the horizontal relationship between management and employees, the Korean management style can be seen as the mixture of the Japanese and Western management style, often stressing short-term outcomes, although it is rather deeply rooted in the unique value system of Korea such as ‘Jeong’ or ‘Shinbaram’. The survey results of GLOBE project also support the validity of these characteristics.

This article investigates the direction of Finnish pension reforms to respond to ageing. It was especially emphasized to make old workers work longer as the goal of the pension reforms in Finland. Population factors were included in calculations of pension benefits and pension age. These suggest that it is needed to embrace ‘longer work of the old’ as an essential issue beyond the conflict between financial sustainability and adequacy in Korea, too. For example ratio of contribution period to benefit receive period can be the goal and the indicator of the effects of the reforms. Reduction in benefit due to inclusion of population factors in pension calculation were compensated by various measures in Finnish pension reforms. It suggests the need to comply with minimum income guarantee standard in Korean pension system to respond to ageing.

Despite increasing interest in the Nordic model of welfare states, few studies focusing on the Finnish case have been conducted. While Finland shares the common characteristics of the Nordic model such as consensual democracy, coordinated market economy and universal welfare states, it also demonstrates a number of distinctive features grown up from the unique path of its modern political history. Filling the gap in the literature, this article provides with a systemic analysis of the formation and change of the Finnish welfare state, focusing on the linkage and interaction among political institutions, welfare regime, and individual social policies such as education policy. First, it analyzes the common features and differences between Finland and the other Nordic countries from a comparative perspective. Second, the process of formation, development, and reform of the Finnish welfare state is analyzed from a historical-political perspective. Third, the linkage and interaction between the politics of welfare state building and comprehensive educational reforms, implemented on a newly established political consensus since the 1960-70s, are examined. The conclusion discusses theoretical and practical implications of the Finnish welfare state.