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Barreto, César, Stéphane Carcillo, Jonas Fluchtmann, Alexandre Georgieff, Alexander Hijzen, Daniele Pacifico, Eliza-Jane Pearsall & Agnes Puymoyen (2025): Low-wage employment in France. A cross-country perspective. (OECD social, employment and migration working papers 313), Paris, 47 S. DOI:10.1787/82539f44-en

Abstract

"This study investigates factors favoring a possible "smicardization" of French workers - the process of an increasing coverage of workers at the minimum wage. First, the minimum wage is relatively high in France compared with other countries, with the result that a large number of workers are close to it. Second, low wages reflect less the characteristics of firms or sectors than the low skills of workers, the resolution of which requires appropriate education and training policies, effective over the long-term. Finally, an analysis of tax and benefit systems highlights the existence of potential low-wage trap mechanisms, which are particularly significant in France compared to other countries. Nevertheless, analysis of individual trajectories shows that it is no more difficult for low-wage workers to climb the wage ladder in France than in the other selected countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Barbieri, Paolo, Giorgio Cutuli & Stefani Scherer (2024): In-work poverty in Western Europe. A longitudinal perspective. In: European Societies, Jg. 26, H. 4, S. 1232-1264. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2024.2307013

Abstract

"This study investigates levels and determinants of in-work poverty (IWP) in Western Europe using EU-SILC longitudinal data 2004-2019. We compared IWP risk and their dynamics across fourteen countries by examining individual labor market positions, household total labor supplies, and employment patterns. We further explored the social class gradient in exposure to IWP, as well as drivers and patterns of longitudinal accumulation of poverty. Relying on a single (standard) earner is often not enough to keep families out of poverty, confirming the importance of dual-earner household arrangements, even if they entail non-standard employment conditions for one partner. This holds particularly true for countries with high levels of IWP and for less privileged social and occupational groups across all contexts. Analyzing IWP inertia, we examined the interplay between genuine state dependence (GSD) and unobserved heterogeneity in the accumulation of economic disadvantage over time. Previous experiences with IWP can lead to future IWP for some, yet this causal effect appears rather small. Our findings have clear implications for the social stratification of risk and policies designed to combat poverty accumulation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Causa, Orsetta, Maxime Nguyen & Emilia Soldani (2024): A new measurement approach for identifying high-polluting jobs across European countries. (OECD Economics Department working papers 1795), Paris, 27 S. DOI:10.1787/f5127e4c-en

Abstract

"This paper develops a novel classification of high-polluting occupations for a large sample of European countries. Unlike previous efforts in the literature, the classification exploits country-level data on air polluting emission intensity by industry. The country-level data allows to capture important cross-country differences, due to differences in technology and in production focus. Applying the new classification to European Labour Force Survey data shows that, on average across the countries covered, about 4% of workers are employed in high-polluting jobs, ranging from 9% in Czechia and the Slovak Republic to around 2% in Austria. These shares do not exhibit any clear decreasing trend over the past decade. High-polluting jobs are unequally distributed, being over-represented among men, workers with lower and medium educational attainment and those living in rural areas." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Fialová, Kamila (2024): Low-wage employment in Central and Eastern European Member States. (Social situation monitor), Brussels, 70 S. DOI:10.2767/001750

Abstract

"This research note offers a comprehensive view of low-wage employment. It investigates the nature and extent of low-pay persistence in European countries, using longitudinal data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) spanning 2004 to 2019. The study focuses on the overall EU situation while highlighting differences between CEE and WE countries. It contributes to the limited research on low-wage employment in CEE countries, shedding light on the characteristics of low-wage populations across Europe and adding value for shaping social policies to tackle poverty and in-work poverty. It examines the institutional and macroeconomic factors that contribute to the incidence and persistence of low pay. Understanding the identity of low-wage earners and the drivers of low pay is pivotal in developing strategies to raise wages. The latest EU-SILC data only covers wage information to 2019, impeding a direct analysis of recent trends such as increasing energy costs, high inflation, the Ukraine conflict and related migration, digital and green transition, or the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Visser, Mark, Marleen Damman & Gerbert Kraaykamp (2024): Financial hardship while working: A comparison of standard and non-standard workers across Europe. In: Economic and Industrial Democracy. DOI:10.1177/0143831x241287649

Abstract

"This study examines differences between non-standard (here: temporary employees and solo self-employed people) and standard workers (here: permanent employees) in financial hardship. It also examines whether these differences are conditional on the country context. To this aim, multilevel regression analysis was applied to European Social Survey data, covering 32 countries and the time period 2002–2018. The results show that temporary employees and the solo self-employed report more financial hardship compared to permanent employees, and that temporary employees experience more financial hardship than the solo self-employed. Both macroeconomic decline and higher levels of social protection generally enlarge the gap in financial hardship between non-standard and standard workers. Furthermore, solo self-employed persons are hit harder by macroeconomic adversity and they are not or less entitled to social benefits than temporary employees, reflected by smaller differences in financial hardship between these groups of non-standard workers. The findings are mostly in line with labor market dualization theories." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Arnholtz, Jens & Nathan Lillie (2023): Posted work as an extreme case of hierarchised mobility. In: Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Jg. 49, H. 16, S. 4206-4223. DOI:10.1080/1369183X.2023.2207341

Abstract

"This article draws on a range of case studies to explain how worker posting can cause hierarchised labour mobility, involving nationality-based hierarchies in pay and conditions between workers in the same labour markets or work sites. This hierarchisation is most apparent on large construction sites, where companies systematically use posting for labour cost advantage, but it is also found on smaller sites and in other sectors besides construction. The article outlines three features of this low-wage posting system – worker hypermobility and dependency, transnational enforcement challenges, and multifaceted employer arbitrage strategies – that conspire to maintain posting as a form of hierarchised mobility. We argue that posting undermines many countervailing forces that typically mediate hierarchisation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gerbery, Daniel & Tomáš Miklošovič (2023): Low-wage mobility in Central Europe. In: International Journal of Comparative Sociology, Jg. 64, H. 5, S. 509-527. DOI:10.1177/00207152231156436

Abstract

"The article provides analyses of the mobility and resilience to mobility among low-wage earners in four Central European (CE) countries. It examines transitions into higher-paid jobs, unemployment/inactivity, and the stability of low-wage status. In addition to standard transition matrices and summary mobility indices, it employs multinomial logit models with the aim of identifying individual determinants of low-wage earners’ prospects. The findings show that the CE countries do not represent a homogeneous group in terms of presence of low wages when the period of 2010–2016 is considered. In regard to future prospects, low-wage employees in the countries with higher incidence of low pay are more likely to reproduce their status, as compared with countries with lower incidence. Upward mobility is more likely among younger, high-educated employees and among those who work in “better” occupations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Muñoz, Mathilde (2023): International Trade Responses to Labor Market Regulations. (NBER working paper / National Bureau of Economic Research 31876), Cambridge, Mass, 61 S.

Abstract

"This paper studies how differences in labor market regulations shape countries' comparative advantage in the cross-border provision of labor-intensive services, using administrative data in Europe for the last two decades. I exploit exogenous variation in labor taxes and minimum wages faced by exporting firms engaged in a large European trade program. Firms from different countries compete to supply the same physical service in the same location but their employees are subject to different payroll taxes and minimum wages. These rules varied across countries, sectors, and over time. Reduced-form country case-studies as well as model-implied gravity estimates show evidence of large trade responses to lower labor taxes and minimum wages, with an elasticity that is around one. The Bolkestein directive, by exempting foreign firms from all labor regulations in the destination country, would have doubled exports of physical services from Eastern European countries, rationalizing the wave of protests in high-wage countries that led to the withdrawal of the proposal." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Eaton, Jonathan, Samuel S. Kortum & Francis Kramarz (2022): Firm-to-Firm Trade: Imports, Exports, and the Labor Market. (NBER working paper 29685), Cambridge, Mass, 65 S. DOI:10.3386/w29685

Abstract

"Customs data reveal heterogeneity and granularity of relationships among buyers and sellers. A key insight is how more exports to a destination break down into more firms selling there and more buyers per exporter. We develop a quantitative general equilibrium model of firm-to-firm matching that builds on this insight to separate the roles of iceberg costs and matching frictions in gravity. In the cross section, we find matching frictions as important as iceberg costs in impeding trade, and more sensitive to distance. Because domestic and imported intermediates compete directly with labor in performing production tasks, our model also fits the heterogeneity of labor shares across French producers. Applying the framework to the 2004 expansion of the European Union, reduced iceberg costs and reduced matching frictions contributed equally to the increase in French exports to the new members. While workers benefitted overall, those competing most directly with imports gained less, even losing in some countries entering the EU." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Villanueva, Ernesto & Effrosyni Adamopoulou (2022): Employment and wage effects of extending collective bargaining agreements. Sectoral collective contracts reduce inequality but may lead to job losses among workers with earnings close to the wage floors. (IZA world of labor 136), Bonn, 12 S. DOI:10.15185/izawol.136.v2

Abstract

"Der Gesamteffekt der Allgemeinverbindlichkeit von Tarifverträgen hängt davon ab, wie viele Arbeitsplätze aufgrund der tariflich geregelten Lohnuntergrenzen und sonstigen Arbeitsbedingungen abgebaut werden. Um die Auswirkungen auf Löhne und Beschäftigung bewerten zu können, müssen Informationen über Tarifverträge mit Längsschnittdaten zu Arbeitgebern und Arbeitnehmern verknüpft werden. Neue Erkenntnisse der Forschung zeigen, dass negative Effekte meist auf Arbeitnehmer mit Verdiensten in der Nähe der Mindestlöhne beschränkt sind. Öffnungsklauseln und Repräsentativitätserfordernisse können dem entgegenwirken." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Dorn, David & Peter Levell (2021): Trade and Inequality in Europe and the US. (IZA discussion paper 14914), Bonn, 65 S.

Abstract

"The share of low-income countries in global exports nearly tripled between 1990 and 2015, driven largely by the rapid emergence of China as an exporting powerhouse. While research in economics had long acknowledged that trade with lower-income countries could raise income inequality in Europe and the US, empirical estimates indicated only a modest contribution of trade to growing national skill premia. However, if workers are not highly mobile across firms, industries and locations, then the unequal impacts of trade can manifest along different margins. Recent evidence from countries across Europe and the US shows that growing import competition from China differentially reduced earnings and employment rates for workers in more trade-exposed industries, and for the residents of more trade-exposed geographic regions. These adverse impacts were often largest for lower-skilled individuals. We show that domestic manufacturing employment declined much more in countries that saw a large growth of net imports from China (such as the UK and the US), than in countries that maintained relatively balanced trade with China (such as Germany and Switzerland). Drawing on a new analysis for the UK, we further show that trade with China contributed to job loss in manufacturing, but also to substantial declines in consumer prices. However, while the adverse labour market impacts were concentrated on specific groups of workers and regions, the consumer benefits from trade were widely dispersed in the population, and appear similarly large for high-income and low-income households. Globalisation has thus created pockets of losers, and recent evidence indicates that in addition to financial losses, residents of regions with greater exposure to import competition also suffer from higher crime rates, a deterioration of health outcomes, and a dissolution of traditional family structures. We argue that new import tariffs such as those imposed by the US in 2018 and 2019 are unlikely to help the losers from globalisation. Instead, displaced workers may be better supported by a combination of transfers to avert financial hardship, skills training that facilitate reintegration into the labour market, and place-based policies that stimulate job creation in depressed locations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lopes, Helena & Teresa Calapez (2021): Job polarisation: Capturing the effects of work organisation. In: The Economic and Labour Relations Review, Jg. 32, H. 4, S. 594-613. DOI:10.1177/1035304621996064

Abstract

"This article critically challenges the findings and assumptions of mainstream job polarisation literature. Based on the European Working Conditions Survey data and on the Job Demand-Control model, which allows for capturing the organizational dimension of jobs, we examine the patterns and evolution of occupations in 22 European countries from 2005 to 2015. Instead of pervasive job polarisation, we observe a near-pervasive trend of upgrading job quality, suggesting that job polarisation may be caused by the undervaluation/devaluation of jobs low in the occupational hierarchy – not by computerization-driven changes in work tasks. Indeed, only the former can explain the decrease in the number of low-quality jobs while the number of low-paid jobs increases. After documenting the relevance of firm-level organisational choices, we suggest that counteracting job polarisation requires, beyond meso-level collective bargaining, a public intervention that promotes participatory decision-making in firms. JEL Codes: J2, J81, M540" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Filandri, Marianna & Emanuela Struffolino (2019): Individual and household in-work poverty in Europe. Understanding the role of labor market characteristics. In: European Societies, Jg. 21, H. 1, S. 130-157. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2018.1536800

Abstract

"The article presents an analysis of the association between labor market characteristics related to female employment and the prevalence of in-work poverty. We compare two relative measures of in-work poverty: The individual definition refers to workers whose salary is below 60% of the median, while the household-level definition refers to individuals whose household income is below 60% of the median. Microdata from the 2014 EU-SILC survey and macrodata on involuntary part-time employment and female labor market participation are used to perform a multilevel analysis on 31 European countries. The results show a positive relationship between involuntary part-time work and in-work poverty according to the household definition. Female labor market participation is positively associated with the individual definition and negatively with the household one. However, after controlling for the level of within-country income inequality, only the effect of the female employment rate remains positive and significant for the individual in-work. These results shed light on the multifaceted role of labor market characteristics related to female employment and their implications for policy. We argue that the promotion of female participation should be combined with explicit measures to reduce the disadvantageous position of women in the labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Trlifajová, Lucie & Jakob Hurrle (2019): Work must pay: Does it? Precarious employment and employment motivation for low-income households. In: Journal of European social policy, Jg. 29, H. 3, S. 376-395. DOI:10.1177/0958928718805870

Abstract

"One of the core dilemmas of current welfare politics is the question of how to ensure social protection while providing incentives to seek employment at the same time. A way to address this dilemma is to base policies and policy models on the principle notion that 'work must pay'; in other words, income from employment should be higher than the social support of the unemployed. However, how accurately do these approaches and models represent the reality of benefit recipients, particularly in the context of increased employment precariousness? In this article, we use the cases of two disadvantaged regions in Czech Republic in order to contrast the presumptions of 'making work pay' policies with the everyday experience of welfare recipients. As we show, their situations are strongly shaped by current changes in the labour market, particularly the precarious character of accessible employment and high levels of indebtedness. The modelling of financial employment incentives and the public policies based on these calculations often do not correspond with the reality of welfare recipients that are often cycling in and out of precarious forms of employment. However, the authors' main claim is that the very idea of the 'work must pay' approach focuses on the wrong question. A truly functioning financial incentive would need to focus not solely on the difference in income between those who work and those who do not work, but rather should analyse what type of arrangements allow working households to rise permanently above the poverty line." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Vacas-Soriano, Carlos (2018): The 'Great Recession' and low pay in Europe. In: European journal of industrial relations, Jg. 24, H. 3, S. 205-220. DOI:10.1177/0959680117715932

Abstract

"This article contributes to the literature on low-paid work by analysing the shares of low-paid employment in the period 2006 - 2014 and the underlying causes. I use an inflation-adjusted low-pay threshold anchored at 60 percent of median wages to assess the impact of the Great Recession, which increased the share of low-paid employees in two-thirds of European countries and in the EU as a whole. This was driven by a general decline in real wages, which was particularly intense in European periphery countries and at the bottom of the wage distribution as well as among employees with shorter tenure. However, compositional effects either prevented a larger expansion of low-pay shares by masking the real extent of the wage correction or were generally negligible in driving low-pay shares. Moreover, growing part-time employment emerges as a significant source of low-paid work from the onset of the crisis." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Haskova, Hana & Radka Dudová (2017): Precarious work and care responsibilities in the economic crisis. In: European journal of industrial relations, Jg. 23, H. 1, S. 47-63. DOI:10.1177/0959680116672279

Abstract

"Economic transformation after 1989 and the global economic recession that began in 2008 have caused an increase in precarious work in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. As a result of refamilialization, precarious work acquired a specific form for women. We use the Czech Republic as an example in analysing a trend that is obvious throughout the Visegrád countries and apply the capabilities approach to understand the dynamics of precarious work in the lives of women with care responsibilities. Neither the objective characteristics of work nor its subjective assessment alone makes it possible to understand precarious work. The explanation lies in the (temporal) dynamics of the interconnection between the two: insecure jobs accepted by women with care responsibilities as a temporary strategy may turn into a trap excluding them from a stable job." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Marchal, Sarah, Ive Marx & Gerlinde Verbist (2017): Income support policies for the working poor. (IZA discussion paper 10665), Bonn, 16 S.

Abstract

"This paper asks what governments in the EU Member States and some US states are doing to support workers on low wages. Using model family simulations, we assess the policy measures currently in place to guarantee an adequate disposable income to working families, taking into account minimum wages, social security contributions, taxes and cash benefits. We show that despite increased efforts over the past decade, disposable incomes of certain types of minimum wage workers still fall well below the EU at-risk-of-poverty thresholds in many countries. Single earners with dependent children are especially at risk of poverty. We discuss the options for making progress." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Vandelannoote, Dieter & Gerlinde Verbist (2017): The impact of in-work benefits on employment and poverty. (EUROMOD working paper 2017,04), Colchester, 33 S.

Abstract

"This article studies the impact of design characteristics of in-work benefits on employment and poverty in an international comparative setting, taking account of both first and second order labour supply effects. We use the micro-simulation model EUROMOD, which has been enriched with a discrete labour supply model. The analysis is performed for four EU-member states: Belgium, Italy, Poland and Sweden. The results show that design characteristics matter substantially, though the specific effects differ in magnitude across countries, indicating there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Throughout the analysis, numerous trade-offs are uncovered: not only between employment and poverty goals, but also within employment incentives itself (extensive vs. intensive margin). Taking account of behavioural reactions attenuates the impact on poverty outcomes, signalling the importance of bringing these effects into the empirical analysis." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Horemans, Jeroen, Ive Marx & Brian Nolan (2016): Hanging in, but only just. Part-time employment and in-work poverty throughout the crisis. In: IZA journal of European Labor Studies, Jg. 5, S. 1-19. DOI:10.1186/s40174-016-0053-6

Abstract

"The crisis has deepened pre-existing concerns regarding low-wage and non-standard employment. Countries where unemployment increased most strongly during the crisis period also saw part-time employment increasing, particularly involuntary part-time work. With involuntary part-time workers, as a particular group of underemployed, facing especially high poverty rates, this was accompanied by an increase, on average, in the poverty risk associated with working part-time. However, this was not reflected in a marked increase in the overall in-work poverty rate because full-time work remains dominant and its poverty risk did not change markedly. The household context is of the essence when considering policy implications." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gimet, Céline, Bernard Guilhon & Nathalie Roux (2015): Social upgrading in globalized production. The case of the textile and clothing industry. In: International Labour Review, Jg. 154, H. 3, S. 303-327. DOI:10.1111/j.1564-913X.2015.00244.x

Abstract

"Vertical specialization generated by the international fragmentation of production within global networks is driven not only by comparative advantage, but also by the locational decisions of lead firms which determine the role and bargaining power of local producers in their value chain. This study examines the consequences of such specialization in textiles and clothing for 26 labour-abundant countries from 1990 to 2007. Fixed effects regressions based on panel data reveal that the industry does not always reap the benefits of the resulting international trade integration. Rather, the authors observe a negative relationship between vertical specialization and relative real wages in the textile and clothing industry." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Halleröd, Björn, Hans Ekbrand & Mattias Bengtsson (2015): In-work poverty and labour market trajectories. Poverty risks among the working population in 22 European countries. In: Journal of European social policy, Jg. 25, H. 5, S. 473-488. DOI:10.1177/0958928715608794

Abstract

"Is in-work poverty a low-wage or an unemployment problem, and is it the same problem all across Europe? Because of the definitional ambiguity, we really do not know. In this article, we use longitudinal European Union-Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) data from 22 countries and derive a set of distinct clusters of labour market trajectories (LMTs) from information about monthly labour market position from a 36-month observation window and estimate in-work poverty risk for each LMT. The results show that in-work poverty is a problem that affects the self-employed and people in a marginal labour market position, that is, those who for different reasons move in and out of employment. Hence, in-work poverty is mainly an unemployment problem, not a low-wage problem. Besides the fact that the size of LMTs varies between countries, we also expected to find systematic country differences in the effect of LMTs. The analysis did not support that assumption." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Giesselmann, Marco (2014): The impact of labour market reform policies on insiders' and outsiders' low-wage risk. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 30, H. 5, S. 549-561. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcu053

Abstract

"Taking a cross-national comparative perspective, this study analyses differences in individual determinants of the low-wage risk across institutional settings. It builds on previous research that dealt with the impact of labour market reform measures on the distribution of labour market risks in advanced economies. It is widely held that such reforms have a particularly adverse effect on labour market outsiders, specifically on entrants to the labour market. We seek to differentiate this assumption and to show that this presumed effect is conditional on the configuration of the bargaining system. Using hierarchical models that match EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) microdata with several macro indicators for 20 countries, we find that, in contexts with a high degree of bargaining centralization, the relative low-wage risk of entrants and re-entrants from inactivity increases with commodification and deregulation. If bargaining is decentralized, however, the effects of labour market reform policies on insider/outsider disparities are marginal. Additionally, we show that the same still holds true if a measure of employment protection legislation (EPL) is regarded as the moderating institutional filter. We explain these findings with theoretical concerns based on the concept of closure. These predict that centralized bargaining structures and high EPL (or, rather, closed employment relationships) will systematically channel risks produced by reform measures to the periphery of the labour market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Köllö, János (2013): Patterns of integration. Low educated people and their jobs in Norway, Italy and Hungary. (IZA discussion paper 7632), Bonn, 32 S.

Abstract

"The paper looks at how the distribution of jobs by complexity and firms' willingness to hire low educated labor for jobs of different complexity contribute to unskilled employment in Norway, Italy and Hungary. In search of how unqualified workers can attend complex jobs, it compares their involvement in various forms of post-school skills formation. The countries are also compared by the weight of small firms, which are assumed to assist low skilled workers through interpersonal relationships. The data suggest that unskilled employment in Norway benefits from synergies between work in skill-intensive jobs, intense adult training, informal learning and involvement in civil activities. In Italy, workplaces requiring no literacy skills at all have the largest contribution but small businesses tend to employ low educated workers at a large scale even in highly complex jobs. In Hungary, insufficient skills (relative to Norway) and an undersized small-firm sector (relative to Italy) set limits to the inclusion of the low educated. An extreme degree of social isolation is likely to deteriorate their skills and jobs prospects further." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hohnen, Pernille (2012): Capacities and vulnerabilities in precarious work. The perspective of employees in European low wage work. Synthesis report on employees' experiences and work trajectories for Workpackage 7 of the walqing project. Wien, 174 S.

Abstract

"The report discusses work and life quality in new and growing jobs from an individual perspective. The empirical data on which the analysis is based consists of 22 country reports investigating elderly care, cleaning, catering, waste collection and construction in 11 different countries (4-5 countries per sector, see the matrix table below). Each country report is based on 20-25 individual semi-structured interviews with employees working in the selected sector and business functions.
The report consists of this introduction, five chapters, each focusing on one sector, and a conclusion. The chapters follow the same structure by starting with a brief introduction of the main characteristics of work in the sector. The remaining part of each chapter is organized into four sections. The first concentrates on workers' perceptions of the main quality of work and life issues. Then follows a section on agency, career trajectories and career options. The next section examines vulnerability in work and processes of vulnerabilization in the sector. Finally, the last section discusses workers' aspirations and capacities to aspire, followed by a summary and conclusion. The last concluding chapter discusses cross-sector findings in terms of the impact of new and growing jobs on individual lives, and highlights some trends in the present labour market and their possible implications for vulnerability." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Holtgrewe, Ursula & Karin Sardadvar (2012): Hard work: Job quality and organisation in European low-wage sectors. Synthesis report on company case studies for work package 6 of the walqing project. Wien, 196 S.

Abstract

"This report presents the findings of the company case studies conducted in Work Package 6 of the walqing project by all twelve partners in the eleven countries participating in walqing. Company case studies were used to investigate how companies are located and position themselves in the sectors and in their respective markets, how they compete and find their niches in changing environments, and how they enhance productivity by restructuring, changing work and creating new jobs. In line with the research focus, the key question the company case studies were supposed to provide an answer for was how these organisational characteristics impact the quality of work for employees. The assumption was that neither markets nor just the institutional environments and industrial relations in diverse employment regimes shape the quality of work, but that the quality of employees' work and life centrally results from managerial strategies and decision-making in the company's respective environment. We aimed to look for examples of both negative and positive configurations of work and life quality in new and expanding jobs, and for the conditions of such configurations through first describing and analysing individual cases and then comparing the findings. Indeed, comparative case study research allows for an exploration of complex causal relationships and histories of such configurations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Massini, Silvia & Marcela Miozzo (2012): Outsourcing and offshoring of business services. Challenges to theory, management and geography of innovation. In: Regional Studies. Journal of the Regional Studies Association, Jg. 46, H. 9, S. 1219-1242. DOI:10.1080/00343404.2010.509128

Abstract

"Auf der Grundlage einer Originalerhebung erörtern wir in diesem Beitrag die Trends und Probleme beim Outsourcing und bei der Auslandsverlagerung von Geschäftsdiensten. Wir dokumentieren und analysieren die zunehmende Verlagerung von Geschäftsdiensten (Verwaltungsdiensten, Callcentern, Informationstechnologie-Diensten, Beschaffung und Produktentwicklung) von den USA und Europa in weniger entwickelte Länder und untersuchen die ausgelagerten Funktionen, die Größe und die Zielorte der auslagernden Firmen sowie die Umsetzungsmodelle. Ebenso untersuchen wir die Rolle der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnik und die Entwicklung von großen, weltweit tätigen Dienstanbietern sowie von neuen Firmen in entwickelten und weniger entwickelten Ländern. Wir erörtern die Auswirkungen hinsichtlich der Outsourcing-Entscheidungen, der Globalisierung von hochgradig wertsteigernden Aktivitäten (wie z. B. Produktentwicklung und Innovation), der Probleme in sich entwickelnden Marktstrukturen und des Entstehens von fachlichen Clustern, in denen Firmen Fachwissen entwickeln, um Aktivitäten und Fachkenntnisse in einem breiten Spektrum von Sektoren anzubieten bzw. um darum zu konkurrieren." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Schulten, Thorsten (2012): WSI-Mindestlohnbericht 2012. Schwache Mindestlohnentwicklung unter staatlicher Austeritätspolitik. In: WSI-Mitteilungen, Jg. 65, H. 2, S. 124-130. DOI:10.5771/0342-300X-2012-2-124

Abstract

"Der WSI-Mindestlohnbericht 2012 gibt einen aktuellen Überblick über die gegenwärtige Mindestlohnpolitik in Europa und ausgewählten außereuropäischen Staaten. Unter Auswertung der WSI-Mindestlohndatenbank werden neueste Daten zur Höhe und Entwicklung gesetzlicher Mindestlöhne präsentiert. Im Jahr 2011 wurden die Mindestlöhne in der Regel nur geringfügig angehoben oder sogar gänzlich eingefroren. In den meisten europäischen Ländern erlitten die Mindestlohnbezieher zum Teil deutliche Reallohnverluste. Im Rahmen des aktuellen Krisenmanagements in der Europäischen Union wurde die Mindestlohnpolitik zum Bestandteil einer allgemeinen Austeritätspolitik." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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George, Roman (2011): Niedriglohn und Geschlecht im europäischen Vergleich. In: WSI-Mitteilungen, Jg. 64, H. 10, S. 548-555. DOI:10.5771/0342-300X-2011-10-548

Abstract

"Der Beitrag untersucht auf der Grundlage der EU-Gemeinschaftsstatistik über Einkommen und Lebensbedingungen (EU-SILC) Geschlechterungleichheiten in den Niedriglohnsektoren der europäischen Länder. Dabei zeigt sich, dass Frauen zumeist deutlich stärker von Niedriglohnarbeit betroffen sind als Männer. Die Ausmaße der Geschlechterungleichheiten variieren zwischen den Ländern allerdings erheblich. Die tiefer gehende Analyse der Strukturen der Geschlechterunterschiede zeigt weitere Länderunterschiede auf. Die Spannbreite der Unterschiede in der Betroffenheit von extrem niedrigen Armutslöhnen ist noch größer. Der Anteil von Teilzeit beschäftigten Frauen am gesamten Niedriglohnsektor ist in den osteuropäischen Ländern gering, während diese in mehreren westeuropäischen Ländern die größte Gruppe stellen. Mindestlöhne leisten einen Beitrag zur Erklärung dieser Differenzen, denn in Ländern mit relativ hohen gesetzlichen Mindestlöhnen fallen die Geschlechterunterschiede tendenziell geringer aus. Aber auch die Regulierung des Arbeitsmarktes durch Tarifverträge und die Beeinflussung der Frauenerwerbstätigkeit durch die sozialstaatlichen und steuerrechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen haben einen Einfluss." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Gesthuizen, Maurice, Heike Solga & Ralf Künster (2011): Context matters: economic marginalization of low-educated workers in cross-national perspective. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 27, H. 2, S. 264-280. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcq006

Abstract

"This article explains the different extent of economic marginalization of low-educated persons in different countries. Research on economic marginalization mainly studies the so-called displacement mechanism: the higher the high-skill supply is in relation to the high-skill demand, the higher is the risk of being unemployed for low-educated workers. In this article, we examine their economic marginalization in terms of status position. This research expands the explanation of economic marginalization of low-educated workers by scrutinizing additional causes, such as negative social selection, negative cognitive competence selection, and the increasing negative signal of being low educated (discredit). The results of the country comparison, using multilevel estimation techniques with inclusion of cross-level interactions, depict that, indeed, educational differences in socio-economic status attainment are larger in countries where the average competence of the group is low, the social composition is unfavourable, and the size of the low-educated group is relatively small. By considering these additional explanations, we are now better able to understand the economic vulnerability of low-educated people in educationally expanded countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Larsen, Christian Albrekt & Patrik Vesan (2011): Public employment services, employers and the failure of placement of low-skill workers in six European countries. (Working Papers on the Reconciliation of Work and Welfare in Europe. REC-WP 02/2011), Edinburgh, 29 S.

Abstract

"The paper explains why across Europe very few job matches are facilitated by public employment services (PES), looking at the existence of a double-sided asymmetric information problem on the labour market. It is argued that although a PES potentially reduces search costs, both employers and employees have strong incentives not to use the PES. The reason is that employers try to avoid the 'worst' employees, and employees try to avoid the 'worst' employers. Therefore PES get caught in a low-end equilibrium that is almost impossible to escape. The mechanisms leading to this low-end equilibrium are illustrated by means of qualitative interviews with 40 private employers in six European countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Sass, Magdolna & Martina Fifekova (2011): Offshoring and outsourcing business services to Central and Eastern Europe. Some empirical and conceptual considerations. In: European Planning Studies, Jg. 19, H. 9, S. 1593-1609. DOI:10.1080/09654313.2011.586196

Abstract

"The global structural shift towards service-based foreign direct investment (FDI) across the world is a relatively recent phenomenon resulting from the increased tradability of services. Although India and Ireland have traditionally been viewed as the main receiver countries, the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region is becoming an increasingly popular destination for business service offshoring and outsourcing. The article focuses first on the empirical and conceptual challenges to understanding the offshoring and outsourcing of business services in the context of significant difficulties with their definition, categorization and classification. It discusses the shortcomings of quantitative data and provides a theoretical framework needed to understand the specific patterns of service sector FDI in the context of CEE. Second, the article outlines the current position of CEE countries as destinations for service sector FDI: it analyses the patterns of service sector investment and discusses the reasons for its emergence as a receiver region. The empirical material is drawn from 30 interviews conducted with senior managers in business service foreign investment in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The article concludes that the composition of services FDI flows is changing, reflecting the growth of resource seeking vertical investment in the region. The share of CEE countries in the global flows of this type of investments is still low, but the region shows a growing potential. Its attractiveness is based on a number of factors, like availability of skilled labour with strong language skills, low costs, favourable business and stable political environment, well-developed infrastructure and geographical and cultural proximity to Western Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Schulten, Thorsten (2011): WSI-Mindestlohnbericht 2011. Mindestlöhne unter Krisendruck. In: WSI-Mitteilungen, Jg. 64, H. 3, S. 131-137. DOI:10.5771/0342-300X-2011-3-131

Abstract

"Der WSI-Mindestlohnbericht 2011 gibt einen Überblick über die derzeitige Mindestlohnpolitik in Europa sowie in ausgewählten außereuropäischen Staaten. Unter Auswertung der WSI-Mindestlohndatenbank werden aktuelle Daten zur Höhe und Entwicklung gesetzlicher Mindestlöhne präsentiert. Die Mindestlohnpolitik des Jahres 2010 stand nach wie vor unter dem Vorzeichen der Krise. Zwar kam es in der Mehrzahl der Länder zu einer nominalen Erhöhung der Mindestlohnsätze, diese fiel jedoch zumeist eher moderat aus und blieb in einigen Fällen sogar hinter der Preisentwicklung zurück. Die eher bescheidene Mindestlohnbilanz des Jahres 2010 ist Ausdruck eines wachsenden politischen Drucks von Arbeitgebern und Regierungen, die darauf abzielen, das bestehende Mindestlohnniveau möglichst gering zu halten." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Bonoli, Giuliano & Karl Hinrichs (2010): Statistical discrimination and employers' recruitment practices for low-skilled workers. (Working Papers on the Reconciliation of Work and Welfare in Europe. REC-WP 10/2010), Edinburgh, 26 S.

Abstract

"This paper deals with the recruitment strategies of employers in the low-skilled segment of the labour market. We focus on low-skilled workers because they are overrepresented among jobless people and constitute the bulk of the clientele included in various activation and labour market programmes. A better understanding of the constraints and opportunities of interventions in this labour market segment may help improve their quality and effectiveness. On the basis of qualitative interviews with 41 employers in six European countries, we find that the traditional signals known to be used as statistical discrimination devices (old age, immigrant status and unemployment) play a somewhat reduced role, since these profiles are overrepresented among applicants for low skill positions. On the other hand, we find that other signals, mostly considered to be indicators of motivation, have a bigger impact in the selection process. These tend to concern the channel through which the contact with a prospective candidate is made. Unsolicited applications and recommendations from already employed workers emit a positive signal, whereas the fact of being referred by the public employment office is associated with the likelihood of lower motivation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Boockmann, Bernhard (2010): The combined employment effects of minimum wages and labor market regulation. A meta-analysis. (IZA discussion paper 4983), Bonn, 30 S.

Abstract

"This paper provides a meta-analysis of 55 empirical studies estimating the employment effects of minimum wages in 15 industrial countries. It strongly confirms the notion that the effects of minimum wages are heterogeneous between countries. As possible sources of heterogeneity, it considers the benefit replacement ratio, employment protection and the collective bargaining system. While the results are in line with theoretical expectations, the degree to which they are robust differs across these institutions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Schulten, Thorsten (2010): WSI-Mindestlohnbericht 2010. Unterschiedliche Strategien in der Krise. In: WSI-Mitteilungen, Jg. 63, H. 3, S. 152-160. DOI:10.5771/0342-300X-2010-3-152

Abstract

"Der WSI Mindestlohnbericht 2010 gibt einen Überblick über die aktuelle Mindestlohnpolitik in Europa und ausgewählten außereuropäischen Staaten. Unter Auswertung der WSI-Mindestlohndatenbank werden aktuelle Daten zur Höhe und Entwicklung gesetzlicher Mindestlöhne präsentiert. Es zeigt sich, dass unter den Bedingungen der Krise die einzelnen Staaten sehr unterschiedliche Strategien verfolgen. Während in vielen Ländern die Mindestlöhne eingefroren wurden, kam es in anderen Ländern zu kräftigen Mindestlohnzuwächsen. Als Instrument zur Bekämpfung der Krise können Mindestlöhne einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Stabilisierung der privaten Nachfrage und zur Vermeidung deflationärer Tendenzen leisten." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

(2010): The minimum wage revisited in the enlarged EU. Genf: International Labour Office, 544 S. DOI:10.4337/9781781000571

Abstract

"This book provides in-depth and innovative analysis of the minimum wage in Europe, looking at its scope within the enlarged EU and posing the question of harmonization between the minimum wages of the individual Member States - or even a common EU minimum wage. It also explores the role of the minimum wage at the national level, looking at trends and effects, with case studies on specific national policy issues or industrial sectors. Minimum wage fixing has returned quite prominently to the core of policy debates, as illustrated by the adoption of a statutory minimum wage by Austria, Ireland and the United Kingdom, and the ongoing discussions in Germany and Sweden. Proposals to have common rules at EU level have also multiplied since EU enlargement, in particular to minimize 'social dumping'. Bringing together 15 national studies from noted European specialists in the field, this timely collection aims to stimulate the current debate." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Czech, Beate (2009): Minimum wages in January 2009. (Statistics in focus 2009/29), Luxemburg, 8 S.

Abstract

"In 20 (Belgien, Bulgarien, Spanien, Estland, Griechenland, Frankreich, Ungarn, Irland, Lettland, Litauen, Luxemburg, Malta, den Niederlanden, Polen, Portugal, Rumänien, der Slowakei, Slowenien, der Tschechischen Republik und dem Vereinigten Königreich) der 27 EU-Mitgliedsstaaten, sowie im Kandidatenland Türkei und in den Vereinigten Staaten existieren gesetzliche Mindestlöhne. Bezogen auf die absolute Höhe des nationalen Mindestlohns verzeichnete man beträchtliche Unterschiede zwischen den Mitgliedstaaten: Die Spanne reicht von monatlich 123 Euro in Bulgarien bis hin zu monatlich 1 642 Euro in Luxemburg, was einem Verhältnis (in Euro) von eins zu dreizehn entspricht. Nachdem die Auswirkungen von Preisniveauunterschieden durch die Anwendung von Kaufkraftparitäten (KKP) für die Konsumausgaben der privaten Haushalte herausgerechnet wurden, verringern sich die Unterschiede deutlich auf ein Verhältnis von eins zu sechs (in KKP) mit Werten von 240 für Bulgarien und 1 413 für Luxemburg." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Nermerich, Daniel (2009): Mindestlohn - eine kritische Einordnung. (Europäische Hochschulschriften. Reihe 2, Rechtswissenschaft 4908), Frankfurt am Main: Lang, 163 S.

Abstract

"Die Kontroverse um Mindestlöhne wird energisch geführt und ist zugleich an Unschärfe kaum zu überbieten. Zwischen hitziger Befürwortung und rigoroser Ablehnung entsteht der Wunsch nach einer sachlichen Betrachtung der Materie und erzeugt damit wissenschaftlichen Klärungsbedarf. Wie ist die Forderung nach Mindestlöhnen mit der Rechtsordnung zu verbinden? Welche ökonomischen Effekte kennzeichnen das Spannungsfeld? Gegenstand des Buches ist die kritische Einordnung der Mindestlohnthematik in rechtswissenschaftlicher Hinsicht unter Berücksichtigung ökonomischer Implikationen. Es soll einen Beitrag dazu leisten die Materie Mindestlohn in ihrer notwendigen Differenzierung wahrzunehmen und eine Orientierungshilfe durch die Komplexität der Problemgebiete sein." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Sirovátka, Tomáš & Petr Mares (2009): Poverty, deprivation and social exclusion: The unemployed and the working poor. In: M. C. Fournier & C. S. Mercier (Hrsg.) (2009): Economics of employment and unemployment, S. 1-32.

Abstract

"The purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between the forms of labour market marginalization - understood here in terms of labour market status and job quality - on the one hand, and income disadvantage, material deprivation and social exclusion on the other. Public policies that aim to improve the labour market status and levels of income of those disadvantaged on the labour market are also discussed. We use data gathered in a survey on social exclusion in which 2,500 respondents were interviewed, they were either welfare benefit recipients or considered their situation similar to their. We demonstrate that marginalization on the labour market is evident not only in relation to unemployment (often repeated and long-term) but at the same time in temporary, low paid and poor quality jobs. The incomes of those employed in the lowest segment of the labour market and of the unemployed are very similar while deprivation of the unemployed is greater in many respects, e.g. in opportunities to influence the course of their lives and the life opportunities of their own as well as of their families in particular. We identify under-use of welfare benefits and measures that might improve the standard of living and human capital of those who are disadvantaged. A portion of the disadvantaged remain active on the labour market and identify employment incentives, yet we also identify poverty traps which emerge in the case of those who become discouraged and welfare dependent." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Andreß, Hans-Jürgen & Henning Lohmann (Hrsg.) (2008): The working poor in Europe. Employment, poverty and globalization. Cheltenham: Elgar, 323 S.

Abstract

"For a long time in-work poverty was not associated with European welfare states. Recently, the topic has gained relevance as welfare state retrenchment and international competition in globalized economies has put increasing pressures on individuals and families. This book provides explanations as to why in-work poverty is high in certain countries and low in others. Much of the present concern about the working poor has to do with recent changes in labour market policies in Europe. However, this book is not primarily about low pay. Instead, it questions whether gainful employment is sufficient to earn a living - both for oneself and for one's family members. There are, however, great differences between European countries. This book argues that the incidence and structure of the working poor cannot be understood without a thorough understanding of each country's institutional context. This includes the system of wage-setting, the level of decommodification provided by the social security system and the structure of families and households. Combining cross-country studies with in-depth analyses from a national perspective, the book reveals that in-work poverty in Europe is a diverse, multi-faceted phenomenon occurring in equally diverse institutional, economic and socio-demographic settings." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Konle-Seidl, Regina & Werner Eichhorst (2008): Erwerbslosigkeit, Aktivierung und soziale Ausgrenzung. Deutschland im internationalen Vergleich. (WISO Diskurs), Bonn, 76 S.

Abstract

"Vier Fragen stehen im Mittelpunkt dieser Analyse:
1) Ist das Risiko sozialer Ausgrenzung in Deutschland gewachsen, und wie stellt es sich im Vergleich mit anderen Ländern dar?
2) Wird soziale Inklusion über eine kompensatorische oder eher über eine arbeitsmarktorientierte und beschäftigungsfördernde Sozialpolitik befördert?
3) Können politische Maßnahmen, insbesondere die 'aktivierende' Ausgestaltung von sozialen Sicherungssystemen und das 'Fördern und Fordern' von Erwerbslosen soziale Ausgrenzung vermindern?
4) Gibt es hierzu vorbildliche Praktiken in anderen Ländern?
Einerseits soll geklärt werden, ob die in der Wissenschaft und in der beschäftigungspolitischen Diskussion etablierten Einschätzungen von beschäftigungspolitisch erfolgreichen Ländern zutreffend sind. Treffen sie auch noch zu, wenn es nicht allein um den Abbau von Arbeitslosigkeit, sondern um die Integration von Langzeiterwerbslosen und Inaktiven geht? Oder werden hier bei relativ ähnlichem Niveau der Ausgrenzung aus dem Erwerbsleben lediglich unterschiedliche Verteilungen auf die Transfersysteme erreicht? Welche Rolle kommt dabei der konkreten Ausgestaltung sozialer Sicherungssysteme zu? Annahmen über die Stärken und Schwächen der einzelnen Länder bzw. Wohlfahrtsstaatstypen werden in Bezug auf Inklusion einer empirischen Bewertung unterzogen.
Andererseits soll untersucht werden, ob es Erfolg versprechende Ansätze zur Integration von nichterwerbstätigen Transferbeziehern mit geringer Beschäftigungsfähigkeit gibt, von denen die Politik in Deutschland lernen kann. Insbesondere soll es um die Identifikation von Reformansätzen gehen, die in der gegenwärtigen Situation zu Einstiegen in den Arbeitsmarkt von Inaktiven und Erwerbslosen sowie zu einer verbesserten Chance auf Aufwärtsmobilität führen können.
Die Studie umfasst zehn Länder mit unterschiedlichen Beschäftigungs- und Sozialstaatsmodellen:
1. Deutschland, Frankreich und Niederlande, die nach den gängigen Wohlfahrtstypologien dem kontinentalen Typ zugeordnet werden,
2. Spanien und Italien als Vertreter einer mediterranen Variante des kontinentaleuropäischkonservativ geprägten Sozialmodells,
3. Großbritannien und die USA, welche für das angelsächsisch-liberale Modell stehen,
4. die skandinavischen Wohlfahrtsstaaten Dänemark und Schweden,
5. sowie Polen als neues EU-Mitgliedsland und Vertreter post-kommunistischer Transitionsländer." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)

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Koskela, Erkki & Panu Poutvaara (2008): Flexible outsourcing and the impacts of labour taxation in European welfare states. (Helsinki Center of Economic Research. Discussion paper 227), Helsinki, 38 S.

Abstract

"In European Welfare States, lowskilled workers are typically unionized, while the wage formation of highskilled workers is more competitive. To focus on this aspect, we analyze how flexible international outsourcing and labour taxation affect wage formation, employment and welfare in dual domestic labour markets. Higher productivity of outsourcing and lower cost of outsourcing and lower factor price of outsourcing increase wage dispersion between the highskilled and lowskilled workers. Increasing wage tax progression of lowskilled workers decreases the wage rate and increases the labour demand of lowskilled workers. It decreases the welfare of lowskilled workers and increases both the welfare of highskilled workers and the profit of firms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Koskela, Erkki & Panu Poutvaara (2008): Flexible outsourcing and the impacts of labour taxation in European welfare states. (CESifo working paper 2440), München, 43 S.

Abstract

"In European Welfare States, lowskilled workers are typically unionized, while the wage formation of highskilled workers is more competitive. To focus on this aspect, we analyze how flexible international outsourcing and labour taxation affect wage formation, employment and welfare in dual domestic labour markets. Higher productivity of outsourcing and lower cost of outsourcing and lower factor price of outsourcing increase wage dispersion between the highskilled and lowskilled workers. Increasing wage tax progression of lowskilled workers decreases the wage rate and increases the labour demand of lowskilled workers. It decreases the welfare of lowskilled workers and increases both the welfare of highskilled workers and the profit of firms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

McPhail, Ruth & Ron Fisher (2008): It's more than wages. Analysis of the impact of internal labour markets on the quality of jobs. In: The international journal of human resource management, Jg. 19, H. 3, S. 461-472. DOI:10.1080/09585190801895536

Abstract

"This article reports on a study of how internal labour markets, operating in a multi-national hotel chain, may impact on workers in traditionally low paid jobs. The quality of jobs has been linked to pay, with lower paid jobs tending to be regarded as being of lower quality. The study examines the effect of three main dimensions of internal labour markets: job security; training; and opportunities for advancement; on the key organizational outcomes of job satisfaction, organizational commitment and intention to leave. A range of human resource management actions in the operation of the hotel's internal labour market is discussed. Data from a world-wide organizational survey are analysed in order to examine the links between the internal labour market variables and the key organizational outcomes. The article concludes that the operation of an internal labour market, underpinned by effective human resource policies and actions, leads to improved quality of jobs as measured by increased job satisfaction and organizational commitment, together with reduced intention to leave." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

Der Bericht gibt einen Überblick über Arbeit und Ergebnisse des Cedefop's Skillsnet-Projekt zu Entwicklung mittelfristiger Prognosen zum Bedarf an beruflichen Qualifikationen in Europa (EU plus Norwegen und Schweiz). Die Projektion basiert auf vier Modulen: einem multisektoralen makroökonomischen Modell, Modellen des Expansionsbedarfs hinsichtlich Berufen und Qualifikationen sowie einem Modell des Ersatzbedarfs. Eine anhaltende Verschiebung von Landwirtschaft und traditionellem produzierenden Gewerbe hin zu einer Dienstleistungs- und Wissensgesellschaft wird festgestellt. Zwischen 2006 und 2015 wird von der Schaffung von 13 Millionen zusätzlicher Arbeitsplätze ausgegangen, von einem Beschäftigungswachstum von 3,5 Millionen in den Bereichen Vertrieb, Transport, Hotel- und Gastgewerbe und sogar von 9 Millionen zusätzlicher Arbeitsplätze bei den sonstigen und unternehmensbezogenen Dienstleistungen. Der prognostizierte Strukturwandel wird sich auf den zukünftigen Qualifikationsbedarf auswirken. Eine Zunahme an Arbeitsplätzen für Arbeitskräfte mit hoher und mittlerer Qualifikation im Dienstleistungsbereich, vor allem im Einzelhandel und Vertrieb, geht einher mit einer Zunahme an Einfacharbeit für Niedrigqualifizierte. Es wird erwartet, dass diese Polarisierung soziale Problemen mit sich bringen wird. Auch für das produzierenden Gewerbe wird ein Strukturwandel prognostiziert; hier wird mit einem steigenden Bedarf an Fachkräften gerechnet, eventuelle sogar mit Fachkräftemangel. (IAB)

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(2008): Skill needs in Europe. Focus on 2020. (Cedefop Panorama series 160), Thessaloniki, 38 S. DOI:10.2801/1406

Abstract

Für Europa zeichnet sich in naher Zukunft ein erhebliches Qualifizierungsproblem ab. Es wird erwartet, dass zwischen 2006 und 2020 über 20 Millionen neue Jobs entstehen. Darüber hinaus werden 85 Millionen Jobs zur Verfügung stehen, um Menschen zu ersetzen, die in den Ruhestand gegangen sind oder den Arbeitsmarkt aus anderen Gründen verlassen haben. Der Prognose eines steigenden Arbeitsangebots steht der erwartete Rückgang der Erwerbsbevölkerung um etwa sechs Millionen gegenüber. Während in einigen Bereichen die Möglichkeit eines Überangebots besteht, ist in vielen Bereichen ein Mangel an ausreichend qualifizierten Arbeitskräften zu erwarten. Cedefop hat in Umsetzung eines Auftrags des Europäischen Rates an die Europäische Kommission seine mittelfristige Prognose über den zu erwartenden Bedarf an beruflichen Qualifikationen in Europa auf den Zeithorizont bis 2020 erweitert. Die Prognose umfasst 25 EU-Mitgliedstaaten plus Norwegen und die Schweiz (EU 25+): Analysiert wird der Bedarf an beruflichen Qualifikationen nach Tätigkeitsfeldern, Berufsgruppen und Qualifizierungsabschlüssen. Darüber hinaus werden mögliche politische Implikationen diskutiert. Die Ergebnisse der Prognose unterstreichen die Notwendigkeit politischer Maßnahmen zur Vermeidung von Ungleichgewichten bei den beruflichen Qualifikationen in Form von Arbeitskräftemangel bzw. Überangebot. (IAB)

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Funk, Lothar & Hagen Lesch (2006): Minimum wage regulations in selected European countries. In: Intereconomics, Jg. 41, H. 2, S. 78-92.

Abstract

Der Beitrag vergleicht Mindestlohnregelungen in 15 europäischen Ländern. Verglichen werden die rechtlichen und tarifvertraglichen Regelungen in den einzelnen Ländern, die Entwicklung der Mindestlöhne, ihr Verhältnis zu den durchschnittlichen Einkommen und zum Niedriglohnsektor, die Zielgruppen, für die Mindestlöhne infrage kommen, strukturelle Merkmale der Mindestlohnregelungen (z.B. die Differenzierung bezüglich Alter, Region oder Qualifikation), die Anpassung der Mindestlöhne in den einzelnen Ländern (Frequenz, Anpassungskriterien, Durchsetzung, Überwachungsbehörde, Strafen bei Nichtbefolgung), die Positionen der jeweiligen Regierungen und der Sozialpartner zu den Mindestlohnregelungen sowie beschäftigungs- und verteilungspolitische Aspekte. (IAB)

Zitatform

Greifenstein, Ralf (2006): Arbeitnehmerpolitik zwischen Wunsch und Wirklichkeit. Beschäftigungsfördernde Lohnpolitik und deutscher Mindestlohn. Bonn, 47 S.

Abstract

"Die Studie präsentiert die Ergebnisse zweier miteinander thematisch vernetzter Tagungen des Arbeitskreises Arbeit-Betrieb-Politik, in der Gesprächsreihe 'Arbeitnehmerpolitik zwischen Wunsch und Wirklichkeit':
- Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer beschäftigungsorientierten Arbeitsmarkt- und Lohnpolitik im Zeitalter der Globalisierung. (Berlin, März 2006)
- Der gesetzliche Mindestlohn vor seiner Einführung in Deutschland - neue Existenzsicherung in der Bürgergesellschaft oder staatlicher Dirigismus und Eingriff in Tarifautonomie? (Berlin, Juni 2006)
Die erste Tagung begutachtete die Lohnpolitik im Hochlohnland Deutschland mit einer gleichzeitigen Arbeitsmarktmisere. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde ausgelotet, ob eine beschäftigungsorientierte Lohnpolitik neben anderen beschäftigungs- und arbeitsmarktpolitischen Handlungsstrategien die Arbeitsnachfrage steigern könnte. An diesem Konzept scheiden sich in Wissenschaft wie Politik noch immer die Geister. Die Vorschläge sind unbefriedigend, welcher lohnpolitische Paradigmenwechsel als sinnvoll, sachgerecht und zukunftsfähig zu gelten hat, um den Wirtschaftsstandort Deutschland zu stärken, die Beschäftigung zu sichern und einen qualifizierten Beitrag zum Abbau der Arbeitslosigkeit zu leisten.
Die zweite Tagung überprüfte das aktuelle Vorhaben zu einem existenzsichernden Mindestlohn angesichts der Befürchtung, dass immer mehr Beschäftigte mit ihren Niedriglöhnen 'arm trotz Arbeit' werden. Die unüberlegte Einführung einer Mindestlohnregelung würde indes nicht viel weiter helfen. Daher wurden Informationen vermittelt und abseits von Pauschalurteilen verschiedene Problemstellungen zwischen Politik und Arbeitnehmervertretern besprochen, welche die Voraussetzungen, den konzeptionellen Zuschnitt als auch die Folgen eines Mindestlohns thematisieren. Der Dialog beinhaltete folglich die Reichweite, den Geltungsbereich, die Höhe und die Umsetzungsmodalitäten einer deutschen Mindestlohnregelung sowie die Chancen und Risiken für Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft.
Beide Veranstaltungen kennzeichnete letztlich ein Balanceakt zwischen 'sozialstaatstauglichen' Konzepten und internationalen Wettbewerbserfordernissen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Schulten, Thorsten, Reinhard Bispinck & Claus Schäfer (Hrsg.) (2006): Mindestlöhne in Europa. Hamburg: VSA-Verlag, 306 S.

Abstract

"Was kann man hierzulande (wo kein gesetzlicher Mindestlohn, stattdessen eine sinkende Tarifbindung aufgrund der Blockadepolitik von Arbeitgeberverbänden existiert) von der Mindestlohnpolitik in den europäischen Nachbarländern lernen? Wie werden Mindestlöhne festgelegt, auf welchen Niveaus verglichen mit den Durchschnittseinkommen? Gibt es einen - wie die herrschende Wirtschaftsdoktrin immer wieder behauptet - negativen Zusammenhang zwischen Mindestlohnhöhe und Beschäftigung oder gar Hinweise auf eine positive Korrelation? Das sind nur einige Fragen, die in diesem Buch beantwortet werden." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)

Abstract

"Dieser Bericht hat zum Ziel, die Debatte über das Arbeitskräfteangebot auf zweierlei Weise aus der Geschlechterperspektive zu beleuchten. Erstens durch Rückblick auf einige wichtige, auf nationalstaatlicher Ebene vorgenommene politische Reformen der Systeme der sozialen Sicherung und der damit verbundenen Arbeitsmarktprogramme, die darauf abzielen, niedrige Einkommensgruppen in Beschäftigung zu bringen, und bei welchen es, soweit sich die politischen Ziele auf das Thema 'Arbeit lohnend machen' beziehen, hauptsächlich darum geht, Beschäftigung finanziell attraktiver zu machen als den Bezug von Sozialleistungen. In dieser Diskussion prüfen wir, ob die Politik die Geschlechtergleichstellung allgemein berücksichtigt (Gender Mainstreaming), und welche geschlechtsbezogenen Auswirkungen diese Reformen voraussichtlich haben werden. Zweitens wenden wir uns den allgemeineren Anreizen und Barrieren zu, mit welchen diejenigen - nach wie vor zumeist Frauen - konfrontiert sind, die in Haushalten mit kleinen Kindern hauptsächlich für die Betreuung zuständig sind. Dabei gilt unser besonderes Augenmerk der Situation von Müttern in Haushalten mit niedrigem Einkommen (Steuern und Sozialleistungen, aktive Arbeitsmarktpolitik, Kinderbetreuung, etc.). In Abschnitt 2 prüfen wir die Regelungen für Mutterschafts- und Elternurlaub im Hinblick auf die berufliche Integration von Müttern und Vätern. Abschnitt 3 hat die Auswirkungen von Elternurlaub oder längerer Arbeitsmarktabwesenheit zur Kinderbetreuung auf die Teilnahmevoraussetzungen für aktive Arbeitsmarktmaßnahmen und anderen Schulungsregelungen zum Gegenstand. Der Ausbau der Kinderbetreuung als entscheidende soziale Infrastruktur zur Beschäftigungsförderung der Eltern wird in Abschnitt 4 untersucht. Die Schlussfolgerungen daraus werden im Abschnitt 5 gezogen. Dabei kommen auch für die Nachfrageseite relevante Punkte hinsichtlich der Arbeitsplatzqualität zur Sprache, von denen abhängt, ob diejenigen, die in Niedrigeinkommenshaushalten hauptsächlich für die Betreuung zuständig sind (in der Regel die Mütter), ihr Beschäftigungsverhältnis langfristig aufrecht erhalten können." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Funk, Lothar & Hagen Lesch (2005): Minimum wages in Europe. Dublin, o. Sz.

Abstract

In nahezu drei Vierteln der Mitgliedstaaten der EU existiert irgendeine Form des gesetzlichen Mindestlohns, wobei in den übrigen Länder wirtschaftszweigspezifische Tarifverträge zur Festsetzung der Mindestlöhne eine zentrale Rolle spielen. Die vergleichende Studie, die auch Bulgarien, Rumänien und Norwegen einschließt, untersucht diese Mindestlohnsysteme und behandelt im einzelnen: die aktuelle Lohnhöhe (sowohl absolut als proportional zu den Durchschnittslöhnen) und ihre jüngste Entwicklung, die Leistungsberechtigten, die Existenz differenzierter Tarife (z.B. für junge Arbeitnehmer), Anpassungsmechanismen, Durchsetzung, die Rolle und Position von Regierungen und Sozialpartnern sowie die aktuelle wissenschaftliche Debatte zu diesem Thema. (IAB)

Zitatform

Pouliakas, Konstantinos & Ioannis Theodossiou (2005): Socio-economic differences in the perceived quality of high and low-paid jobs in Europe. o.O., 43 S.

Abstract

"This paper engages in a novel comparison of differences in the perceived quality of high and low-paid jobs across six European labour markets. Utilizing data from six waves (1996-2001) of the European Community Household Panel (ECHP), and after correcting for the selectivity problem that is prevalent in the study of the effect of low pay status on job satisfaction, it is shown that, other things equal, low-paid employees are significantly less satisfied with their jobs compared to those who are high-paid in Greece, Spain, and Finland. In contrast, there appears to be an insignificant difference in the satisfaction of high and low wage workers in the United Kingdom, France and Denmark. The empirical evidence therefore suggests that low-paid jobs in the EU are not universally of low quality, though in some countries low wage workers have experienced the full brunt of both lower paid and bad quality jobs. For these countries policies that centre on the quality of jobs would be of equal importance to those that focus on the level of pay. A homogeneous policy of removing low wage employment through regulation, however, would not necessarily lead to improvement in the welfare of low-paid citizens across all European economies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

(2005): The minimum wage debate. In: European Industrial Relations Review H. 380, S. 17-21.

Abstract

"In the second of our two-part feature on minimum wage systems around Europe, we examine the main areas of focus and debate.The majority of EU member states have a statutory minimum wage, while sector-level collective bargaining plays a prominent role in minimum wage setting in others. We look at issues surrounding the introduction, implementation and uprating of minimum rates of pay." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))