The authors use case study evidence from hospitals and auto parts manufacturers to investigate why employers used—and even increased their use of—temporary help agencies during a period of tight labor markets in the 1990s. In high-skill occupations, the evidence suggests employers...

Drawing on a nationally representative survey of private sector establishments, the author presents new evidence on which employers use flexible staffing arrangements and why they use them. The surveyed employers made widespread use not only of regular part-time workers but also of short-term...

Many studies document a positive correlation between workplace computerization and employment of skilled labor in production. Why does this correlation arise? The authors posit that improvements in computer-based technology create incentives to substitute machinery for people in performing tasks...