Edward Elgar Publishing Workers Without Traditional Employment: An International Study of Non-standard Work

The task faced by modern labour market analysts is a complex one. Alternative working arrangements are collectively referred to as 'non-standard employment' even though they lack a common set of characteristics in terms of participants, occupations and skill levels. This section of the labour market can no longer be regarded as peripheral. Workers Without Traditional Employment aims to provide a comprehensive and global analysis of the significant changes in employment relationships that have occurred over the last two decades. The author discusses the incidence, causes, and social and economic implications of non-standard employment. Shifts in the nature of employment are placed within the wider context of modern labour markets seeking to cope with rapid changes in international business practice and the pressures of a globalised economy. The book argues that while much non-standard employment has country-specific aspects, there exists a common set of underlying factors influencing the spread of non-standard employment across the world. The final part of the book deals with the implications of employment change for work/family interaction and examines likely future trends. This book will be invaluable reading for academics and researchers in economics, business and industrial relations as well as social scientists and professionals within the business world.