Europeans, largely for cultural reasons, seem to like it that way, said a German politician who asked that he not be identified, because they oppose the upheaval entailed by more open competition. As a result, the subject of jobs is ''notoriously subject to political manipulation,'' said Fritz Scharpf, a Cologne-based researcher, who noted that the Conservative Party in Britain had altered unemployment definitions more than 30 times, each time reducing the number of jobless. Similarly, misguided ideas for solutions often have long half-lives because Europe has failed to develop ''an evaluation culture'' testing the results of employment initiatives, according to Michael Lechner of Mannheim University. Work-sharing is a glaring case. But the evidence shows that work-sharing tends to reduce employment, not increase it, according to Jennifer Hunt of Yale University.
Employers find the system inefficient and compensate by cutting costs - including payrolls.
The economists said some misconceptions are perpetuated by a misunderstanding of the Dutch economy, which has become a European model by raising employment to U.S. levels while cutting government deficits. The Netherlands has a high employment rate because many people have accepted part-time jobs. But the conference participants said these are largely low-paying jobs, many of them in private companies that the government hires to provide health and other local services. Economists also questioned whether the high taxes in the Netherlands would eventually drive away entrepreneurs and investment capital - both of which are increasingly mobile in Europe and crucial to growth.