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Labour market mobility and employment security of male employees in Europe: `trade-off' or `flexicurity'?

Author

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  • Ruud Muffels

    (Tilburg University, Netherlands, Ruud.J.Muffels@uvt.nl)

  • Ruud Luijkx

    (Tilburg University, Netherlands, R.Luijkx@uvt.nl)

Abstract

The dominant view in economics is that increasing demands for flexibility on the labour market jeopardizes employment security. However, against the prediction of a negative relationship or a`trade-off' between flexibility and security, there is evidence for a positive, mutually reinforcing relationship known as the `flexicurity' thesis. Using comparative panel data for 14 European countries, we elaborate dynamic outcome indicators for flexibility and employment security to assess the differences across countries and welfare regimes in balancing the two.We estimate transition models to explain the observed mobility patterns.The outcomes confirm the impact of the institutional set-up indicated by regime type on these transitions supporting the `variety of capitalism' approach.The regulated Southern and Continental regimes perform worst and the unregulated Anglo-Saxon and Nordic regimes best in attaining high levels of flexibility and employment security simultaneously, though for both regimes with a small loss either in flexibility or in security.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruud Muffels & Ruud Luijkx, 2008. "Labour market mobility and employment security of male employees in Europe: `trade-off' or `flexicurity'?," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 22(2), pages 221-242, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:22:y:2008:i:2:p:221-242
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017008089102
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:aia:aiaswp:wp68 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Pavol Babos, 2014. "Step or trap? Transition from fixed-term contracts in Central Eastern Europe," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 39-52, March.
    3. Bernhardt, Janine & Krause, Alexandra, 2014. "Flexibility, performance and perceptions of job security: a comparison of East and West German employees in standard employment relationships," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 28(2), pages 285-304.
    4. Chiara Gigliarano, 2013. "Measuring Labour Market Inter-Temporal Mobility In Italy: Theory And Evidence," RIEDS - Rivista Italiana di Economia, Demografia e Statistica - The Italian Journal of Economic, Demographic and Statistical Studies, SIEDS Societa' Italiana di Economia Demografia e Statistica, vol. 67(2), pages 139-153, April-Jun.
    5. Anna Manzoni & Ruud Luijkx & Ruud Muffels, 2011. "Explaining differences in labour market transitions between panel and life-course data in West-Germany," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 241-261, February.
    6. Alka Obadić & Vladimir Arčabić & Lucija Rogić Dumančić, 2021. "Labor market institutions convergence in the European Union," EFZG Working Papers Series 2102, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb.
    7. Jeroen Horemans, 2016. "Polarisation of Non-standard Employment in Europe: Exploring a Missing Piece of the Inequality Puzzle," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(1), pages 171-189, January.
    8. Michael Gebel, 2013. "Is a Temporary Job Better than Unemployment?: A Cross-Country Comparison Based on British, German, and Swiss Panel Data," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 543, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    9. Meroni, Elena Claudia & Vera-Toscano, Esperanza, 2017. "The persistence of overeducation among recent graduates," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 120-143.
    10. Lauren E. Aydinliyim, 2022. "The Case for Ethical Non-compete Agreements: Executives Versus Sandwich-Makers," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(3), pages 651-668, January.
    11. Obadić, Alka & Arčabić, Vladimir & Rogić Dumančić, Lucija, 2023. "Club convergence of labor market institutions in the European Union," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 876-896.
    12. Chiara Gigliarano & Francesco Chelli, 2016. "Measuring inter-temporal intragenerational mobility: an application to the Italian labour market," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 89-102, January.
    13. Köppe Stephan & MacCarthaigh Muiris, 2019. "Public service integration in hard times: Merging unemployment benefit and labour market activation measures," Administration, Sciendo, vol. 67(2), pages 137-160, May.
    14. Fulvio Castellacci & Clara Viñas-Bardolet, "undated". "Permanent Contracts and Job Satisfaction in Academia: Evidence from European Countries," IRMO Occasional Papers 7, Institute for Development and International Relations, Zagreb.
    15. Xavier ST‐DENIS, 2021. "The changing importance of lifetime jobs in the United Kingdom," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 160(2), pages 243-269, June.
    16. Simonson, Julia & Romeu Gordo, Laura & Kelle, Nadiya, 2015. "Separate paths, same direction? De-standardization of male employment biographies in East and West Germany," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 63(3), pages 387-410.
    17. Christine Mayrhuber & Julia Bock-Schappelwein & Eva Rückert, 2012. "Neue soziale Risiken in Österreich im europäischen Vergleich," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 45118.

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