Labour market segmentation and information technologies : on the effects of CIM technologies on the structure and functioning of partial labour markets - summarised results of a research project

Abstract

"The report summarises the most important results of a research project which examined the ef-fects of new information and communication technologies on the structure and functioning of partial labour markets. On the basis of an 'institutions-actors concept' the labour market in the Federal Republic was divided into nine partial labour markets, types of innovation of new technologies were worked out and the connection between new information technologies and the segmentation of labour markets was analysed. The empirical study was carried out in the form of twelve case studies. Although this procedure restricts the generalisation of the results, it permits 'soft' factors, such as informal regulations, to be brought out. Because of the broad range of applications of new information and communication technologies, the study remained restricted to company-internal CIM technologies. In the enterprises examined there are different connections between innovations and the segmentation of the labour market. Thus in some enterprises CIM technologies have no influence on the labour market segmentation, whereas there is a strong connection in others. We discovered in the enterprises examined that the partial labour markets found have changed seriously in only a few cases, in most cases the existing labour markets were adapted flexibly. The existing partial labour markets were and clearly still are so flexible that they are able to 'over-come' the effects of the innovations within the framework of existing regulations. Of the variables examined, the technological potential and the particular innovation strategy selected have the greatest significance in the effects on the partial labour markets. The most considerable technology-related changes in the structure and functioning of partial labour markets were found in training behaviour, mobility behaviour and the remuneration and control sy-stems." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Baden, C. & Schmid, A. (1998): Arbeitsmarktsegmentation und Informationstechnologien. Zu den Auswirkungen von CIM-Technologien auf Struktur und Funktionsweise von Teilarbeitsmärkten. Zusammengefaßte Ergebnisse eines Forschungsprojekts. In: Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Vol. 31, No. 1, p. 143-154.