Nonstandard Work in Developed Economies

Causes and Consequences

Susan Houseman, W.E. Upjohn Institute
Machiko Osawa, Japan Women's University

Introductory chapter | Table of Contents

"The chapters of Nonstandard Work in Developed Economies are consistently well written and, taken together, provide an in-depth analysis of historical, legal, cultural, economic, and institutional factors operating in each country that help to explain their diverse experiences with regard to nonstandard work." Monthly Labor Review
(Read the entire review.)
"For some, nonstandard work connotes substandard employment on multiple dimensions. . .For others, nonstandard work is seen as a way to increase flexibility for firms and individuals. . .Which view is correct? The collection of articles in Houseman and Osawa's Nonstandard Work in Developed Economies goes a long way in helping us to answer this question." Relations Industrielles/Industrial Relations

Full-time, permanent employment has historically been the norm in the developed economies of the United States, Japan, and Europe. Yet in most of these countries, the fraction of workers engaged in nonstandard work (e.g., part-time, temporary, or contract positions) has increased in recent years, in some countries dramatically so.

This book reveals the considerable variation in the levels of growth in a broad set of nonstandard work arrangements while presenting a comprehensive view of how, as a result, the nature of the employment relationship is changing within and among countries.

The international roster of economists, sociologists, and labor law experts who contributed to this volume draw on cross-country variations in economic conditions and institutional characteristics to explain why some arrangements have grown faster in some countries than in others and what this means for workers. By considering a broad array of nonstandard work arrangements in a number of economies, the authors provide a richer understanding than if the focus had been limited to a single country of one or a short-list of employment arrangements.

Overall, this book will be useful for anyone seeking to gain a better understanding of the trends in nonstandard work arrangements including factors influencing their size and growth, their impact on women, and their implications for employees' job security, pay, and benefits.

The original versions of these papers were first presented at a conference sponsored by the Japan Foundation and the W.E. Upjohn Institute in August 2000. Included are:

Introduction, Susan Houseman and Machiko Osawa
The Change in Work Arrangements in Denmark and Germany: Erosion or Renaissance of Standards?, Edeltraud Hoffman and Ulrich Walwei
Regulatory Convergence? Nonstandard Work in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, Colette Fagan and Kevin Ward
Nonstandard Work in Italy and Spain: The Quest for Flexibility at the Margins in Two Supposedly Rigid Labor Markets, Immaculada Cebrián, Gloria Moreno, Manuela Samek, Renata Semenza, and Luis Toharia
Nonstandard Work Arrangements in France and the United States: Institutional Contexts, Labor Market Conditions, and Patterns of Use, Françoise Carré
The Growth of Nonstandard Employment in Japan and the United States: A Comparison of Causes and Consequences, Susan Houseman and Machiko Osawa
Employment Choices and Pay Differences between Nonstandard and Standard Work in Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, Siv Gustafsson, Eiko Kenjoh, and Cécile Wetzels
Standard and Nonstandard Work Arrangements, Pay Difference, and Choice of Work by Japanese Mothers, Nobuko Nagase
Work Arrangements among Women in the United States, Naomi Cassirer
In Search of a New Framework for Flexibility: Reregulation of Nonstandard Employment in the European Union, Isabelle Schömann and Klauss Schömann
Nonstandard Work Arrangements in Japan and the United States: A Legal Perspective, Noriaki Kojima and Keiko Fujikawa
Work Attitudes and Nonstandard Work Arrangements in the United States, Japan, and Europe, Arne L. Kalleberg and Jeremy Reynolds.

520 pp. 2003
$70 cloth ISBN 0 88099 264-6 / ISBN-13 978-0-88099-264-0
$26 paper ISBN 0 88099 263-8 / ISBN-13 978-0-88099-263-3

Note: You may select how many copies of each title you'd like to purchase at the next screen.

Customer Service - for phone, fax or mail orders, if you have any questions, or if you'd like to download our order form.

Alphabetical List of Books | Publications | Home Page