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Temporary agency work and the Great Recession

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  • Baumgarten, Daniel
  • Kvasnicka, Michael

Abstract

We investigate with German data how the use of temporary agency work has helped establishments to manage the economic and financial crisis in 2008/09. We examine the (regular) workforce development, use of short-time work, and business performance of establishments that made differential use of temporary agency work prior to the crisis. Overall, our results suggest that establishments with a greater use of temporary agency work coped better with the sharp decline in demand and made less frequent use of government-sponsored short-time work schemes.

Suggested Citation

  • Baumgarten, Daniel & Kvasnicka, Michael, 2017. "Temporary agency work and the Great Recession," Munich Reprints in Economics 49930, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:lmu:muenar:49930
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    1. Lutz Bellmann & Hans-Dieter Gerner & Richard Upward, 2015. "The Response of German Establishments to the 2008–2009 Economic Crisis," Dynamic Modeling and Econometrics in Economics and Finance, in: Pasquale Commendatore & Saime Kayam & Ingrid Kubin (ed.), Complexity and Geographical Economics, edition 127, pages 165-207, Springer.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bachmann, Ronald & Martinez Flores, Fernanda & Rulff, Christian, 2022. "Die Lohnlücke in der Zeitarbeit: Eine empirische Analyse auf Grundlage von BA-Daten und der Verdienststrukturerhebung," RWI Projektberichte, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, number 262219.
    2. Baumgarten, Daniel & Kvasnicka, Michael, 2017. "Temporary agency work and the Great Recession," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 29-44.
    3. Ronald Bachmann & Fernanda Martínez Flores & Christian Rulff, 2024. "Die Lohnlücke in der Zeitarbeit [The wage gap in temporary agency work]," AStA Wirtschafts- und Sozialstatistisches Archiv, Springer;Deutsche Statistische Gesellschaft - German Statistical Society, vol. 18(1), pages 15-36, March.
    4. Bachmann, Ronald & Martinez Flores, Fernanda & Rulf, Christian, 2022. "Die Lohnlücke in der Zeitarbeit: Eine empirische Analyse auf Grundlage der Integrierten Erwerbsbiografien und der Verdienststrukturerhebung," RWI Materialien 153, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
    5. Neumann, Uwe, 2017. "Temporary agency employment in Germany: A strategic "buffer" for firms and regions in the crisis?," Ruhr Economic Papers 727, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labour demand; Employment adjustment; Economic crisis; Temporary agency work; Short-time work; Establishment data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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