The Social Consequences of Labour Market Flexibilisation in Different EU Countries

Research question/goal: 

Labour market flexibilisation during the last decade has been discussed as a crucial measure to enhance economic growth and combating high unemployment within continental European countries. In this project we investigate the consequences of labour market flexibilisation for individuals and societies as a whole, enlarging the narrow economic perspective towards social and societal aspects.

  1. What consequences go along with deregulating employment relationships
  • for work careers and individual life courses, for entrapment in economic precariousness, poverty and for other social risks?
  • for the society at large in terms of rising social inequality and the erosion of social cohesion?
  • Furthermore we investigate the relationship between employment regulation and social politics. Is the formula 'politics against the market' still valid to understand the post-fordist economy/society interplay or might not instead appropriate social policies help the market to be also more efficient?
    • The project studies these issues by comparative analyses of European countries that differ in labour market flexibility and relevant welfare state institutions.

    Fact sheet

    Funding: 
    MZES
    Duration: 
    2003 to 2004
    Status: 
    completed
    Data Sources: 
    crosssectional and longitudinal data from the National Labou
    Geographic Space: 
    Europe

    Publications

    Books

    Müller, Walter, and Stefani Scherer (Eds.) (2003): Mehr Risiken - Mehr Ungleichheit? Abbau von Wohlfahrtsstaat, Flexibilisierung von Arbeit und die Folgen. Frankfurt/Main: Campus. [Mannheimer Jahrbuch für Europäische Sozialforschung; 7] more

    Journal Articles

    Scherer, Stefani (2004): Stepping-stones or traps? The consequences of labour market entry positions on future careers in West Germany, Great Britain and Italy. Work Employment and Society, 18, issue 2, pp. 369-394. more
    Barbieri, Paolo, and Stefani Scherer (2002): Logici e Razionali? Comportamenti strategici dell'offerta di lavoro nella transizione scuola-lavoro: un confronto fra Nord e Sud Italia. Lavoro e Relazioni Industriali, 1, pp. 95-119. more

    Book Chapters

    Scherer, Stefani (2005): Non-standard employment. Experiments in regulation at the local level in Germany. Pp. 84-109 in: Ida Regalia (Ed.) Regulating new forms of employment: local experiments and social innovation in Europe. London: Routledge. more
    Barbieri, Paolo, and Stefani Scherer (2004): The pay-off from education: a North-South comparison. Pp. 166-187 in: Daniele Checchi, Claudio Lucifora (Eds.) Education, training and labour market outcomes in Europe. Houndsmills and New York: Palgrave-McMillan. more
    Gangl, Markus (2003): Arbeitslosigkeitsrisiken in Deutschland und den USA: institutionelle und strukturelle Determinanten von Turnoverprozessen im Arbeitsmarkt. Pp. 199-218 in: Walter Müller, Stefani Scherer (Eds.) Mehr Risiken - mehr Ungleichheit? Abbau von Wohlfahrtsstaat, Flexibilisierung von Arbeit und die Folgen. Frankfurt: Campus. more
    Scherer, Stefani, and Walter Müller (2003): Marktexpansion, Wohlfahrtsstaatsumbau und soziale Ungleichheit. Pp. 9-27 in: Walter Müller, Stefani Scherer (Eds.) Mehr Risiken - mehr Ungleichheit? Abbau von Wohlfahrtsstaat, Flexibilisierung von Arbeit und die Folgen. Frankfurt: Campus. more
    Scherer, Stefani (2003): Sprungbrett oder Falle? Konsequenzen der Position des Erwerbseintritts auf den Karriereverlauf in Westdeutschland, Großbritannien und Italien. Pp. 137-165 in: Walter Müller, Stefani Scherer (Eds.) Mehr Risiken - mehr Ungleichheit? Abbau von Wohlfahrtsstaat, Flexibilisierung von Arbeit und die Folgen. Frankfurt: Campus. more

    Other Publications

    Barbieri, Paolo, and Stefani Scherer (2004): North-South differences in the consequences of labour market flexibilization in Italy. Granada more