Foundations for longevity: the ILO,New Zealand and the strategies of autonomy,relevance and presence

In 2019, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) will celebrate its Centenary as one of the oldest international organisations. In this paper, we argue that important insights into this institutional resilience can be provided by an examination of the activities of the early ILO Directors and the establishment of three principal strategies – autonomy, presence and relevance. Through the case study of New Zealand, we demonstrate how these strategies provided the wherewithal for ILO survival during the inter-war years and the foundation for its longevity.