The role of the library associations and organisations in the changing library landscape. A study of corporatism in Denmark
| Published date | 01 January 2006 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120610647956 |
| Pages | 66-76 |
| Date | 01 January 2006 |
| Author | Niels Ole Pors |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
The role of the library
associations and organisations in
the changing library landscape
A study of corporatism in Denmark
Niels Ole Pors
Royal School of Library and Information Science, Copenhagen, Denmark
Abstract
Purpose – The paper seeks to outline the topography of Danish library associations and
organisations and to analyse their role in the development of the libraries. Corporate trends and traits
are used as the analytical framework.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper focuses on cases and issues from the development of
the Danish libraries and the research design is primarily desk-top research combined with
interpretations of previous research into the theoretical framework of corporatism.
Practical implications – The paper offers some inspiration for cooperation among institutions and
associations outlining some of the prerequisites for a solid corporation among different stakeholders.
Originality/value – The paper introduces a concept from political theory and uses it as an
interpretative framework in relation to one of the cases of a rather successful cooperation in the library
field.
Keywords Libraries, Information organizations,Corporate strategy, Denmark
Paper type General review
Introduction
The objectives of this paper are twofold. First, the paper will give an overview of the
topography of the central library institutions and associations and their cooperation.
Second, it will explore the role these associations and organisations play in the very
profound changes that have taken place in recent years in the Danish library system.
This is done by examples of some issues that have been important in the library field in
recent years. It is important to emphasise the corporate structure of Danish society.
The development of libraries and the cooperation among library associations and
organisations cannot be understood fully without paying attention to this fact.
The corporate structure is probably connected to the Danish welfare state. It
permeates society as a whole. It is evident in facts like a very broad acceptance of the
ideology and mechanisms of the welfare state. This acceptance can be seen in the
programmes of nearly all the political parties. In many ways, the society is consensus
driven and political fights are mainly relegated to marginal questions about
distribution of a very small percentage of the public finances. Some writers state that
nearly all the political parties adhere to the traditional social democrat ideology.
Hofstede (1991) has described the society as an extreme feminist society with a strong
emphasis on soft values and a society in which cooperation and agreement are more
valued than conflict and competition. Corporatism can be defined in different ways, but
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
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LM
27,1/2
66
Received 28 September 2005
Revised 12 October 2005
Accepted 17 October 2005
Library Management
Vol. 27 No. 1/2, 2006
pp. 66-76
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120610647956
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