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Contingent Employment Contracts: Are Existing Employment Theories Still Relevant?

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel G. Gallagher

    (James Madison University)

  • Magnus Sverke

    (Stockholm University)

Abstract

Within most nations there has been growing evidence of a shift from ‘traditional’ or ongoing employment contracts to arrangements which are more ‘fixed-term’ or ‘contingent’ in structure. The growth of contingent employment arrangements raises questions concerning the applicability of existing theories of individual behaviour (e.g. satisfaction, motivation, etc.). Utilizing ‘employment commitment’ as an illustrative example, this article examines potential limitations in the applicability of commitment theory to different forms of contingent employment contracts. It also addresses some implications for union representation in contingent work arrangements.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel G. Gallagher & Magnus Sverke, 2005. "Contingent Employment Contracts: Are Existing Employment Theories Still Relevant?," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 26(2), pages 181-203, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:26:y:2005:i:2:p:181-203
    DOI: 10.1177/0143831X05051513
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sjoerd Goslinga & Magnus Sverke, 2003. "Atypical Work and Trade Union Membership: Union Attitudes and Union Turnover among Traditional vs Atypically Employed Union Members," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 24(2), pages 290-312, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nele De Cuyper & Hans De Witte, 2007. "Associations Between Contract Preference and Attitudes, Well-Being and Behavioural Intentions of Temporary Workers," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 28(2), pages 292-312, May.
    2. Nele de Cuyper & Beatriz Sora & Hans de Witte & Amparo Caballer & José María Peiró, 2009. "Organizations’ Use of Temporary Employment and a Climate of Job Insecurity among Belgian and Spanish Permanent Workers," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 30(4), pages 564-591, November.
    3. Caroline Ruiner & Maximiliane Wilkesmann & Birgit Apitzsch, 2020. "Voice through exit: Changing working conditions by independent contractors’ participation," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 41(4), pages 839-859, November.
    4. Giedo Jansen & Agnes Akkerman & Kurt Vandaele, 2017. "Undermining mobilization? The effect of job flexibility and job instability on the willingness to strike," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 38(1), pages 99-117, February.
    5. Claudia Bernhard-Oettel & Constanze Leineweber & Hugo Westerlund, 2019. "Staying in or switching between permanent, temporary and self-employment during 2008–2010: Associations with changing job characteristics and emotional exhaustion," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 40(2), pages 215-237, May.
    6. Robert MacKenzie, 2009. "Union Responses to Restructuring and the Growth of Contingent Labour in the Irish Telecommunications Sector," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 30(4), pages 539-563, November.
    7. Fabian Dekker & Romke van der Veen, 2017. "Modern working life: A blurring of the boundaries between secondary and primary labour markets?," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 38(2), pages 256-270, May.
    8. Akinwumi Sharimakin & Daniel Adukwu Idachaba, 2025. "Analysis of connectivity between economic autonomy, employment type and relationship style within household," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 27(1), pages 72-90, August.
    9. Nele De Cuyper & Beatrice Piccoli & Rita Fontinha & Hans De Witte, 2019. "Job insecurity, employability and satisfaction among temporary and permanent employees in post-crisis Europe," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 40(2), pages 173-192, May.

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