The strategic use of contingent workers in Hong Kong’s economic upheaval
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Human Resource Management Journal
Publication Date
11-1-2001
Volume
11
Issue
4
First Page
22
Last Page
37
Abstract
This research examines strategy in the use and purposes of contingent employment in four retail firms under different economic conditions in Hong Kong. Data from in-depth qualitative case studies found that the four firms - three Japanese and one British - had different organisational responses to the economic conditions caused by the increase of sales before the Asian financial crisis of 1997 and the shrinkage of sales afterwards. One such response concerned the companies’ employment policies, especially in their use of contingent workers. Some tended to have an ad hoc opportunistic approach to the use of contingent workers, while others were more strategic and incorporate long-term planning in their labour utilisation strategy. Implications are drawn relating to companies’ use of contingent employment to changes in the contextual environment regarding their long-term development.
DOI
10.1111/j.1748-8583.2001.tb00049.x
Print ISSN
09545395
Publisher Statement
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Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English