Konventionen der Arbeitsintegration. Die Beschäftigung von Behinderten in Schweizer Unternehmen (1950 bis 1980)

Abstract

Conventions of Occupational Integration. The Employment of Disabled People in Swiss Enterprises (1950 to 1980)

Disabled people's access to the labour market is one of the leading ideas in disability policy. Its success depends on the willingness of employers to employ handicapped people. Both historical and social studies focus on the welfare state or the people in question, while the perspective of the employers is often neglected. Under what conditions are companies willing to employ people whose performance diverges from the common interest to maximise economic output? Switzerland is well suited for a case study, since there are no regulations for employers, such as a quota-system. Incorporating the theory of «économie des conventions», this study investigates how employers' associations and companies justify employment of disabled people and how these people are valued. The timeframe investigated spans from the immediate post-war period to 1980.