Limited Asylum and Family Risk Avoidance: Work Conditions and Career Choices of Dispatched Workers on the Edge of the Unit System

With the development of economy, social instability is increasing. Even within the unit system with Chinese characteristics, flexible employment mode has been introduced to improve efficiency. As a representative of unstable employment in the unit system with Chinese characteristics, the working situation of dispatch workers within the unit system is worth studying. Based on the basis of “clientelism” came up with by Walder, this study introduces the principle of family risk avoidance, and uses the method of empirical research to conduct the fixed field research on S unit. Walder believes that under the unique system of China, workers are fully attached to their work units. However, in the group of dispatched workers, the subject of asylum to them is usually not by colleagues with strong working relations, but by informal contacts, so this asylum is limited and different from economic benefits. Faced with the limitations of such asylum, non-regular employees in the system will make different career choices based on their family’s ability to resist risks. Therefore, this study is important for understanding current social unstable labor relations and clientelism within the system of units.