Delivering Flexibility: Contrasting Patterns in the French and the UK Food Processing Industry

Abstract

Special Edition on Comparative Studies of the WorkplaceInternational audienceThis article provides a comparative analysis of changes in numerical and functional labour flexibility in the French and the UK food processing industry. Based upon case study data, it explores the interaction between competitive pressures and institutional and regulatory structures and their impact on workplace practices. The findings indicate that, faced with a similar competitive environment, firms in both countries have sought to increase labour flexibility. However, the predominant forms of flexibility vary across the two countries, partly reflecting the characteristics of national labour market institutions. Numerical flexibility dominates in the UK, with high levels of paid overtime and temporary agency work. In contrast, French workplaces rely more on internal functional flexibility while also achieving numerical flexibility through seasonal variations in work schedules and a wide range of short-term employment contracts

The nuanced nature of work quality: Evidence from rural Newfoundland and Ireland

“…Characteristics that are often included in examinations of job quality are pay and benefits (Caroli et al, 2010), opportunities for advancement (Kalleberg et al, 2000;McGovern et al, 2004;Olsen et al, 2010), autonomy, skills and effort (Gallie et al, 2004;Vaisey, 2005, Sengupta et al, 2009), continuous or 'standard' work arrangements (Zeytinoglu et al, 2009), job security (Clark, 2005;Gallie, 2007;Lowe, 2007), work intensity (Green,2006;Olsen et al, 2010;Zeytinoglu et al, 2007), training and participation (Gallie, 2003), social conditions of work (Olsen et al, 2010;Wright and Dwyer, 2006) and the location of the workplace along with the economic conditions of the region (Cooke, 2007). Others have created an index of job quality such as the European Trade Union Institute's European Job Quality Index (Leschke et al, 2008) or have created a composite measure of job quality conceptualising a number of the above listed dimensions of jobs (Brisbois, 2003;Hannif et al, 2008;Hunter, 2000;Lowe 2007).…”

L’emploi peu qualifié et à bas salaire : problématiques nord-européennes

“…Contrairement au Royaume-Uni où la flexibilité combine la possibilité pour les permanents d'effectuer un nombre élevé d'heures avec le recours à un travail temporaire bon marché, ou encore par différence avec le système danois de flexicurité, les entreprises françaises agroalimentaires ont privilégié une flexibilité interne, jouant sur la possibilité de répartir le temps de travail sur l'année et sur la polyvalence des permanents. L'intensification du travail (automatisation, organisation du travail, approfondissement de l'intensité capitalistique) est une caractéristique des stratégies des entreprises de ce pays qui cherchent à réduire le coût du travail en faisant des gains de productivité (face aux « rigidités » que constituent pour les directions l'existence d'un salaire minimum et les régulations du marché du travail) (Caroli et al, 2010).…”

Vive les différences? Voice in French MNCs' overseas workplaces: a comparative study of voice in French, German and US subsidiaries in the UK

“…This is because France combines voice-related elements of both Germany and the US (Caroli et al, 2010). As in Germany, a strong legal framework underpins indirect channels.…”

“…France, arguably, occupies a different position to the more individualistic, direct-voice models of the US and Germany's more collectivist model (Caroli et al, 2010;Conway et al, 2008).…”

“…In a prominent framework, the former is the archetypical 'liberal market economy' (LME); the latter, the exemplar 'co-ordinated market economy' (CME) (Hall and Soskice, 2001; see also Whitley, 1999Whitley, , 2007. France does not have an LME type of institutional system, nor does it fit the CME category neatly (Caroli et al, 2010;Conway et al, 2008;Hall and Soskice, 2001;Whitley, 1999Whitley, , 2007. Consequently, France has variously been described as a 'Mediterranean' (Hall and Soskice, 2001) or 'state organized' (Whitley, 1999) form of capitalism or as an example of 'state capitalism' (Schmidt, 2003).…”