This text brings together a distinguished group of contributors from the fields of economics, management and industrial relations. The authors rigorously examine how labour market institutions shape employment performance and assess issues such as unemployment benefits, job security provisions and collective bargaining.

This volume discusses the role of labour market institutions and the nature of their interaction with other economic and social regulations. The European case is discussed in depth, focusing on issues such as the extent to which US labour market institutions can be adapted to European societies.

This volume assesses the complex relationship between the economic and non-economic aspects of labour institutions at various levels. Firstly, the book explores the dilemma which calls for increased flexibility in contractual relationships whilst maintaining the present levels of social protection and job security. The discussion goes on to address the criteria that may provide guidelines for evaluating labour market and social protection system reform policies, and finally, the utility criteria usually used in economic analysis is questioned.