Flexbile Labour

Question 1

What is it?

Answer 1

• Flexible labour describes economic practices that have emerged since the 1970s that contrast with industrial capitalism
• Describes practices such as flexible contracts and recognition that jobs are not for life

Question 2

What are the three components Guest 1987 see’s flexibility to have?

Answer 2

• Organisational design
• Job design
• Employee attitudes and motivation

Question 3

What does Guest conclude?

Answer 3

• Flexibilities in organisations can only be achieved if employees display organisational commitment, trust and motivation

Question 4

Whats the need for flexible labour firms?

Answer 4

• Market stagnation- meaning a combination of world recession and inability to compete leads to having to reduce unit costs.
• Uncertainty - Firms operating in these uncertain times means firms are cautious about committing themselves in employment terms
• Technological changes - Employees need to be able to be responsive e.g flexible contracts
• Market conditions - high unemployment and few labour shortages

Question 5

What are the three types of flexibility?

Answer 5

1) Functional -redeployment between tasks, multitasking, change in careers
2) Numerical - responsive increase and decrease in labour force. Looser contractual relationships between employer and employee. Also shift to different payment systems such as assessment based pay
3) Financial - Pay and employment costs reflect supply and demand in the market

Question 6

What is meany by a boundaryless career?

Answer 6

• A career that is meant to span across a set of different organisations, sectors, domains etc

Question 7

What is meant by nonstandard work?

Answer 7

Employer by that doesn’t involve a fixed working schedule at the same physical location for an extended time

Question 8

Which generation are more likely to have jobs that are non standard?

Answer 8

Generation Y - the netgeneration born since the 1980s