International Labour Organization and Information Systems Innovation
Volkan HacıoğluThe economic integration that has gained acceleration with globalization and information technologies changed the definition, structure and boundaries of international markets. Increasing intersectoral collaboration in industrial organization has caused the fulfilment of innovation based reforms in the hierarchical structure of multilateral organizations against new demands and social needs. The International Labour Organization (ILO), which has a general authority and reputation in the global economic system and strategic competition environment of Industry 4.0 era, also initiated a large scale structural reform movement in its objectives and normative functions with the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization singed in Genova on June 10, 2008 for the first time after the Philadelphia Declaration on May 10, 1944, and Second World War. In this article, we analytically evaluate the innovation based reform plan of ILO and redefine its function in the framework of the theory of organization. The two models of organizational innovation are examined in order to construct the comprehensive and complete theoretical infrastructure of ILO information systems to integrate the Organizational Innovation Function, formulated by us onto that of Organizational Innovation System. In our work, as a result, we show that the raison d’être of ILO has broadened and developed by gaining global dynamism to comprehend, not only the tripartism of governmentemployer-employee, but also innovation based entrepreneurial functions.
Uluslararası Çalışma Örgütü ve Enformasyon Sistemleri İnovasyonu
Volkan HacıoğluKüreselleşme ve enformasyon teknolojileri ile hız kazanan iktisadî entegrasyon uluslararası piyasaların tanımını, yapısını ve sınırlarını değiştirmiştir. Endüstriyel organizasyonda sektörlerarası işbirliğinin artması, yeni talepler ve yeni toplumsal ihtiyaçlar karşısında çok uluslu örgütlerin hiyerarşik yapılanmalarında inovasyon temelli reformların gerçekleşmesine neden olmuştur. Endüstri 4.0 çağındaki küresel iktisadî sistemde ve stratejik rekabet ortamında genel bir otorite ve itibar sahibi olan Uluslararası Çalışma Örgütü de 10 Haziran 2008 tarihinde Cenova’da gerçekleştirilen Uluslararası İşgücü Konferansı’nda imzalanan Adil Küreselleşme İçin Sosyal Adalet Deklarasyonu ile İkinci Dünya Savaşı’ndan ve 10 Mayıs 1944 tarihli Philadelphia Deklarasyonu’ndan bu yana hedeflerinde ve normatif fonksiyonlarında ilk defa geniş çaplı bir yapısal reform hareketi başlatmıştır. Bu makalede, Uluslararası Çalışma Örgütü’nün inovasyon temelli reform planı analitik olarak değerlendirilmekte ve örgüt teorisi çerçevesi içinde fonksiyonları yeniden tanımlanmaktadır. Literatürde ilk defa tarafımızdan formüle edilen Örgütsel İnovasyon Fonksiyonu’nu Örgütsel İnovasyon Sistemi’ne entegre etmek suretiyle Uluslararası Çalışma Örgütü enformasyon sistemlerinin kapsamlı ve bütünlüklü bir teorik altyapısını kurmak amacıyla iki temel örgütsel inovasyon modeli incelenmektedir. Çalışmamızda, sonuç olarak, 21. yüzyılda Uluslararası Çalışma Örgütü’nün varlık nedeninin (raison d’être) işçi-işveren-hükümet üçlü yapısının yanısıra inovasyon temelli girişimcilik fonksiyonlarını da kapsayacak şekilde küresel dinamizm kazanarak genişlemiş ve gelişmiş olduğu ortaya konulmaktadır.
The definition in comparison to scope and scale of market structure changes and broadens beyond the traditional conception of the neoclassical economic theory in an era of globalization. The extent of the market for goods and services integrates with digital economies and networks all around the world. Rapidly developing technology, together with ever changing economic and social structure, cause new trends to occur and continue unprecedentedly in the 21th century. In line with the global and technological transformation of market structures and functions, the strategic significance of information is also increased within the decision making process of employees and employers, entrepreneurs and other economic agents. In today’s business world, innovation based production projects of innovative entrepreneurs are particularly effective and decisive on the formation of expectations and demand dynamics.
In order to establish an equilibrium state for demand and supply of labour at the full employment level, the amount and cost of information in labour markets must be at an optimum level. In this sense, the foundation of the micro infrastructures of macroeconomic equilibrium state of the economy requires technology based innovation of information systems. The flow of information disseminates through the economy via economic institutions and organizations. Besides, networks beyond markets play an important part of the information transmission mechanism. The information systems innovation within the general structure of organizations in the economy minimizes Keynesian coordination failures, and thereby accelerates the restoration of equilibrium after a randomly external and fully anticipated economic shock which is a sole source of informational frictions.
In accordance with the general definition of the International Labour Organization (ILO), labour market information comprises of all kinds of knowledge related with the structure and extent of the labour market. The structure and extend of the market, together with supply and demand, also relate to the social structure. The industry 4.0 formed by phenomenological new concepts such as internet of things, big data, digital technologies, virtual currencies, artificial intelligence and innovation, rendered it difficult to understand and define the continuously developing and broadening borders of networks beyond markets. The strategic decision making and learning processes, which are embedded in expectations models of economic agents, are getting more complex by cumulatively growing global integrations. The information systems that are decisive in qualified and unqualified employees’ search for work in the labour market also lead to changes in the formation of the division of labour. The classical proposition which asserts that the division of labour is limited with the extent of the market, now opens and paves new ways of philosophical interpretations and scientific intuitions by the introduction of information technologies.
Motivated by the characteristic conditions of an innovative paradigm shift, global socioeconomic transformation of societies and modus operandi of the business world, this article analytically, theoretically and practically examines the innovation based structural reforms and novelties in information systems infrastructure of ILO under a new construction of economic systems in a changing world. The plan of the article is as follows. The introductory first part depicts fundamental elements and background of the work in the context of adaptation and integration processes of global economies to large scale technological changes in the world. The second part is devoted to a comprehensive literary review and to the theoretical apprehension for organizational integration of information systems innovation in a conceptual framework.
The third part deals with the theory of functional and strategic information systems innovation. Different types of information systems innovations are defined according to particular organizational innovation models in the literature, and then information systems of innovation are set into a structural context of innovation ecosystems per se comprised of complex international systems of innovation. The fourth part is appropriated for innovation based structural reforms of ILO. These reforms fall under three chief functional categories, and each category signifies a particular portfolio in the hierarchical structure of the ILO headquarters. These three portfolios are the policy portfolio, management and reform portfolios, and field operations and partnership portfolios. Information systems of each portfolio are also examined in separate sections of the fifth part. The sixth part concludes with a general discussion and appreciation of the subject matter. Functional and strategic effects of structural reforms in the very constitution of the ILO indicate successful fulfilments of its chief aims. As a result, Keynesian coordination problems in global markets are also alleviated by the use of information technologies in the organizational infrastructure.
