FLEXCOM: Flexibility and competitiveness: labour market flexibility, innovation and organisational performance

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 01.0034

Key words (English)

Labour market flexibility; numerical flexibility; functional flexibility; competitiveness;
Economic Aspects; Scientific Research; Social Aspects

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: HPSE-CT-2001-00093

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 4.4 Life sciences for developing countries

Short description (English)

See abstract

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
ETH Zürich
Konjunkturforschungsstelle (KOF/ETHZ)

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EL)

Abstract (English)

The recent spectacular economic growth in the developed countries has provoked a debate on the role and remuneration of human capital in development. From the neoclassical point of view flexibility of any form should be introduced to help equalize marginal productivity with wages and thus increase investments. But from an evolutionary perspective objections are raised to the extent that flexibility, defined only through labour market regulation, can contribute to socially and economically sustainable development: it jeopardizes variety and selection and reduces innovativeness and competitiveness. The present study tries to shed some light on how flexibility links with employment on the one hand and long term competitiveness on the other by introducing
a) Alternative notions of flexibility at the macro, meso and micro-level
b) Relevant performance variables in different countries. The expected result is to better understand how various forms of flexibility relate to business and overall economic performance, by examining variables like growth, firm organisation and propensity to innovate.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 01.0034