Academic sources are a useful source of data on the markets we cover.  Two resources in particular are worth highlighting. The Flexwork Research Centre (FWRC) provides a comprehensive overview on research in the agency work domain. The collection of studies and research includes especially the following topics:

• Private Employment Agencies and other forms of flexible work
• Flexible forms of contract and personnel supply services
• Labour market and labour law developments, legislation and governance in the European countries
• The Flexicurity debate on the national and international level
• Selected public affairs topics that directly affect the private employment agency industry

The Hot link provides a list of ten the most popular publication in English, while the Centre provides a very useful current awareness services that you can sign up to here.

The FWRC is a joint initiative launched by ABU and the University of Amsterdam. ABU and CIETT finance the research monitor. The HSI and AIAS Institutes of the University of Amsterdam manage this website and provide information on research reports and articles relating to temporary employment in the broadest sense.

The Geographies of Temporary Staffing Unit (GOTSU) in the the School of Environment and Development of Manchester University has produced some very useful studies.   The Unit focuses on the following key themes:

• The globalization of temporary staffing
• National varieties of temporary staffing markets
• Temporary staffing agencies as mediators of labour migration
• Profiling the UK temporary staffing market

The Unit has published  a useful range of  empirical studies on  Australia, the Czech Republic, Japan, Poland, Sweden and the UK. These are produced as part of a range of Working Papers, Working Briefs and Conference and Seminar presentations.

GOTSU’s ongoing programme of research – funded variously by the British Academy, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Leverhulme Trust, the Rockefeller Foundation, Vedior Corporation, the Adecco Institute, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and the University of Manchester – draws on quantitative industry data and a longitudinal series of semi-structured interviews with temporary staffing agencies, government officials, labour unions, trade associations and business analysts. 

As part of the research available to members we produce a series of Data Sheets which complement our Country Snapshots. These are available on the European portion of the website and contain details of other country specific academics, which may be of interest to you. Then can be found by searching for Data Sources in the search box.