Regulatory social policy

Viac o knihe

There is a significant gap between the recognized importance of job security regulations—restrictions on hiring and firing—and the limited research on their determinants. Surveys consistently show that job security is a highly desired characteristic among employees, yet it remains underexplored in contemporary scholarly work. Often, job security regulations are viewed as obstacles to job creation, overshadowed by factors like unemployment benefits and collective bargaining, which are deemed more critical for individuals in the labor market. This perception arises from the belief that such regulations primarily benefit labor market insiders while disadvantaging the most vulnerable. As a result, the concept of flexicurity—balancing welfare state security with a flexible labor market—has emerged as a favored approach in social policy. Despite the focus on job security regulations in discussions about rigid labor markets and necessary reforms, there is a notable lack of understanding regarding their political and institutional determinants. This book aims to fill that gap by investigating the factors that shape job security regulations, providing a deeper insight into their role in labor market dynamics.