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Article
Publication date: 8 June 2012

Emmanuel Dhyne and Benoît Mahy

To ease adjustments in the labour market, many countries have softened their legislation since the 1970s by introducing flexible labour contracts or by making their use easier…

1666

Abstract

Purpose

To ease adjustments in the labour market, many countries have softened their legislation since the 1970s by introducing flexible labour contracts or by making their use easier. The purpose of this paper is to document labour management of temporary contracts during the last 20 years in Belgium, compared to the situation in its neighbouring countries. The authors investigate the determinants of the use of flexible labour contracts and the consequences of their introduction on labour dynamics.

Design/methodology/approach

A dynamic Probit is considered to model the use of fixed term labour contracts (FTCs) and standard dynamic labour demand equations are used to test the impact of labour contracts on the labour adjustment at the firm level, using a panel of around 8,000 firms during the period 1998‐2005.

Findings

The results indicate that some firms follow labour management based on a core (indefinite term contracts – ITCs) and a peripheral component (FTCs) and manage temporary contracts on a “permanent” basis, from a long run perspective. Estimates also confirm a much faster temporary contracts employment adjustment, while ITCs adjustment does not depend on whether firms employ FTCs. ITCs short‐term employment elasticity with respect to wages suggests that workers protection against redundancies is strengthened when firms manage work organisation with both types of contracts. In contrast to ITCs, FTCs are used to meet unexpected demand shocks.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the growing literature on the impact of the introduction of new flexible contracts on the labour demand at the firm level.

Article
Publication date: 8 June 2012

Guido Citoni, Benoît Mahy and François Rycx

The purpose of this paper is to introduce this special issue on work organization, performance and health.

1971

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce this special issue on work organization, performance and health.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors provide a general review of the literature and describe the main findings of the papers appearing in this special issue.

Findings

This issue provides new evidence regarding the impact of work organization (essentially defined in terms of payment methods, teamwork, workforce age structure and labour contracts) on performance (measured through employment, productivity and sickness absenteeism indicators). It also sheds more light on the determinants of workers’ health by gender, with particular attention to working conditions and mobbing.

Originality/value

The papers collected in this special issue provide some fine examples of recent work at the crossroads of health and personnel economics.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 33 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 9 November 2012

334

Abstract

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 33 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

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