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The Role of Temporary Agency Work in Different Industrial Relations Systems — a Comparison between Germany and the USA

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  • Lars W. Mitlacher

Abstract

Although temporary agency work has been growing over the last decade, its use differs widely in different industrial relations systems. Drawing on theoretical and empirical insights, propositions are developed on why companies deploy temporary agency work. These propositions are then contrasted with case‐study evidence collected in Germany and the USA to analyse the deployment of agency work in two different industrial relations systems and the role that agency work plays in these diverse settings. The main conclusions of the research are that differences in the deployment of temporary agency workers exist with regard to legal regulation and employers' strategies of labour use while similarities exist regarding the supply of agency labour.

Suggested Citation

  • Lars W. Mitlacher, 2007. "The Role of Temporary Agency Work in Different Industrial Relations Systems — a Comparison between Germany and the USA," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 45(3), pages 581-606, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:45:y:2007:i:3:p:581-606
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2007.00629.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Neugart, Michael & Storrie, Donald, 2002. "Temporary work agencies and equilibrium unemployment," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Labor Market Policy and Employment FS I 02-203, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    2. Susan N. Houseman & Arne L. Kalleberg & George A. Erickcek, 2003. "The Role of Temporary Agency Employment in Tight Labor Markets," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 57(1), pages 105-127, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Angela Knox, 2010. "‘Lost in translation’: an analysis of temporary work agency employment in hotels," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 24(3), pages 449-467, September.
    2. Elke Jahn & Enzo Weber, 2016. "The effect of temporary help jobs on employment volatility," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 49(1), pages 412-427, February.
    3. Beckmann, Michael & Kuhn, Dieter, 2012. "Flexibility vs. screening : the performance effects of temporary agency work strategies," Working papers 2012/03, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    4. Vanselow, Achim & Weinkopf, Claudia, 2009. "Zeitarbeit in europäischen Ländern: Lehren für Deutschland?," Arbeitspapiere 182, Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, Düsseldorf.
    5. Jocelyn Handy & Dianne Gardner & Doreen Davy, 2020. "Relational Expectations and Transactional Obligations: Incompatible Psychological Contracts and Triadic Employment Relationships," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, June.
    6. Jahn, Elke Jutta & Rosholm, Michael, 2015. "The Cyclicality of the Stepping Stone Effect of Temporary Agency Employment," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113117, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    7. Manfred Antoni & Elke J. Jahn, 2009. "Do Changes in Regulation Affect Employment Duration in Temporary Help Agencies?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 62(2), pages 226-251, January.
    8. Benjamin Hopkins & Chris Dawson, 2016. "Migrant workers and involuntary non-permanent jobs: agencies as new IR actors?," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 163-180, March.
    9. Peter Cappelli & J. R. Keller, 2012. "A Study of the Extent and Potential Causes of Alternative Employment Arrangements," NBER Working Papers 18376, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Beissinger, Thomas & Baudy, Philipp, 2015. "The impact of temporary agency work on trade union wage setting: A theoretical analysis," Hohenheim Discussion Papers in Business, Economics and Social Sciences 01-2015, University of Hohenheim, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.
    11. Sílvia Lopes & Maria Chambel, 2014. "Motives for Being Temporary Agency Worker: Validity Study of One Measure According to The Self-Determination Theory," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 137-152, March.
    12. Swati Alok & Rajthilak R., 2023. "Protean and Boundaryless Career Attitude as Determinants of Well-being Among Indian IT Temporary Agency Workers," Vision, , vol. 27(5), pages 661-670, November.
    13. Jill Rubery & Annamaria Simonazzi & Kevin Ward, 2010. "Exploring international migration and outsourcing through an institutional lens," BIS Papers chapters, in: Globalisation, labour markets and international adjustment - Essays in honour of Palle S Andersen, volume 50, pages 77-103, Bank for International Settlements.
    14. Kristina Håkansson & Tommy Isidorsson, 2014. "The trade union response to agency labour in Sweden," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(1), pages 22-38, January.
    15. Valeria Pulignano & Andrea Signoretti, 2016. "Union Strategies, National Institutions and the Use of Temporary Labour in Italian and US Plants," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 54(3), pages 574-596, September.
    16. Peter H. Cappelli & JR Keller, 2013. "A Study of the Extent and Potential Causes of Alternative Employment Arrangements," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 66(4), pages 874-901, July.
    17. Jennifer Ferreira, 2016. "The German temporary staffing industry: growth, development, scandal and resistance," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 117-143, March.
    18. Wen Chen & Xiao-Jiao Song & Yanping Li, 2021. "Factors Affecting the Sustainable Development of HRS in Transforming Economies: A fsQCA Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.
    19. Adrienne T. Edisis, 2016. "The Effect of Unemployment Insurance on Temporary Help Services Employment," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 484-503, December.
    20. Krzywdzinski, Martin, 2021. "Lean Production in Germany: A Contested Model," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 507-528.

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