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Employer Preferences and Social Policy: Business and the Development of Job Security Regulations in Germany since World War I

Author

Listed:
  • Emmenegger, Patrick

    (University of Southern Denmark)

  • Marx, Paul

    (University of Bonn)

Abstract

This article examines the role of business in the historical development of job security regulations in Germany from their creation in the inter-war period to the dawn of the crisis of the 'German Model' in the 1980s. It contrasts the varieties of capitalism approach, which sees business as protagonists, or at least consenters, in the development of job security regulations with a conflict-oriented approach, which sees the labour movement as protagonists and business as antagonists in the development of job security regulations. The empirical analysis is based on primary and secondary sources and shows that at no point in time German employers preferred strict over flexible job security regulations. Quite the contrary, high levels of job security regulations have been forced upon employers by radicalized labour movements in periods of business weakness in the aftermath of both World Wars.

Suggested Citation

  • Emmenegger, Patrick & Marx, Paul, 2010. "Employer Preferences and Social Policy: Business and the Development of Job Security Regulations in Germany since World War I," IZA Discussion Papers 5043, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5043
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Werner Eichhorst & Michael J. Kendzia, 2016. "Workforce segmentation in Germany: from the founding era to the present time [Die Segmentierung der Belegschaft in Deutschland: von der Gründerzeit bis heute]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 49(4), pages 297-315, December.
    2. Eichhorst, Werner & Kendzia, Michael J., 2016. "Workforce segmentation in Germany: From the founding era to the present time (Die Segmentierung der Belegschaft in Deutschland: Von der Gründerzeit bis heute)," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 49(4), pages 297-315.
    3. Eichhorst, Werner & Kendzia, Michael J., 2016. "Workforce segmentation in Germany: From the founding era to the present time (Die Segmentierung der Belegschaft in Deutschland: Von der Gründerzeit bis heute)," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 49(4), pages 297-315.
    4. Paster, Thomas, 2011. "German employers and the origins of unemployment insurance. Skills interest or strategic accommodation?," MPIfG Discussion Paper 11/5, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    industrial relations; varieties of capitalism; institutional change; Germany; power resources; job security regulations;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K31 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Labor Law
    • N34 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N44 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: 1913-

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