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Flexible employment, poverty and the household

Author

Listed:
  • René Lehweß-Litzmann

    (Soziologisches Forschungsinstitut Göttingen (SOFI))

Abstract

This article analyses the coincidence of employment flexibility and poverty, using micro data from the European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). It is shown that – contrary to the ideal of flexicurity – workers with no employment flexibility in their trajectories are still privileged in all of the countries examined. The household and the state are discussed as important conversion factors (circumstances which influence how individuals can use their resources) and stress is laid on the analytical and political need to consider them in the present context. The household and the state co-determine the individual’s capability to offer flexible work on the market, i.e. the chance to deviate from standard employment without exposing oneself to a high risk of poverty. Cet article analyse la concomitance entre la flexibilité de l’emploi et la pauvreté en utilisant des micro-données tirées des statistiques de l’Union européenne sur les revenus et les conditions de vie (EU-SILC). Il apparaît que – contrairement à l’idéal de flexicurité – les travailleurs qui n’ont pas subi de flexibilité de l’emploi durant leur parcours professionnel restent des travailleurs privilégiés dans tous les pays étudiés. Les ménages et l’Etat sont considérés comme d’importants facteurs de conversion (c’est-à -dire des circonstances qui influencent la manière dont les gens peuvent utiliser leurs ressources) et l’accent est mis sur le besoin analytique et politique de les considérer dans leur contexte actuel. Les ménages et l’Etat codéterminent la capacité d’offrir un travail flexible sur le marché, c’est-à -dire la possibilité de s’écarter d’un emploi standard sans s’exposer à un risque élevé de pauvreté. In diesem Artikel wird auf der Datengrundlage der Statistik der Europäischen Union über Einkommen und Lebensbedingungen (EU-SILC) das gemeinsame Auftreten von Erwerbsflexibilität und Armut untersucht. Es wird gezeigt, dass nicht flexibel Beschäftigte – entgegen dem Flexicurity-Ideal – immer noch privilegiert sind, und zwar in allen untersuchten Ländern. Der Haushalt und der Staat werden als wichtige Umwandlungsfaktoren (Umstände, die beeinflussen, wie Individuen ihre Ressourcen nutzen können) diskutiert und es wird die analytische und politische Notwendigkeit betont, sie in dem vorliegenden Zusammenhang zu berücksichtigen. Haushalt und Staat bedingen die Verwirklichungschance, flexible Arbeit auf dem Markt anzubieten, d.h. die Möglichkeit, von Standarderwerbstätigkeit abzuweichen, ohne sich einem hohen Armutsrisiko auszusetzen.

Suggested Citation

  • René Lehweß-Litzmann, 2012. "Flexible employment, poverty and the household," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 18(1), pages 69-81, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:18:y:2012:i:1:p:69-81
    DOI: 10.1177/1024258911431211
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Matthieu de Nanteuil-Miribel & Mohamed Nachi, 2004. "Flexibility and security: what forms of political regulation?," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 10(2), pages 300-318, May.
    2. Ingrid Robeyns, 2005. "The Capability Approach: a theoretical survey," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 93-117.
    3. Andranik Tangian, 2007. "European flexicurity: concepts, methodology and policies," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 13(4), pages 551-573, November.
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