A Study of the Extent and Potential Causes of Alternative Employment Arrangements

Working Paper: NBER ID: w18376

Authors: Peter Cappelli; Jr Keller

Abstract: The notion of regular, full-time employment as one of the defining features of the U.S. economy has been called into question in recent years by the apparent growth of alternative or "nonstandard" arrangements - part-time work, temporary help, independent contracting, and other arrangements. Identifying the extent of these arrangements, whether they are increasing, and where they occur is the first step for understanding their implications for the economy and the society. But this has been difficult to do because of the lack of appropriate data. We present estimates of the extent of these practices based on a national probability sample of U.S. establishments, evidence on changes in their use over time, and analyses that help us begin to understand why they are used.

Keywords: No keywords provided

JEL Codes: J2; J21; J41; M12; M51; M54; M55


Causal Claims Network Graph

Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.


Causal Claims

CauseEffect
alternative arrangements (F33)ease of monitoring tasks (E63)
establishment-level factors (L26)use of alternative arrangements (F33)
cost savings (D61)choice of alternative arrangements (D71)
flexibility needs (I31)choice of alternative arrangements (D71)
job performance (M51)choice of alternative arrangements (D71)

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