Abstract
This chapter deals with the labour markets of small firms, i.e. the way in which small firms acquire the workers they need, manage their careers and deal with turnover and terminate employment relationships when no longer needed. Hence, the focus of the chapter is on the issues of recruitment and training, internal and external flexibility, retention, conflict and dismissals. Through the analysis of semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the owner–managers of 66 micro- and small enterprises in different economic sectors, the chapter shows that, even though informality constitutes a crucial dimension of how small firms manage their internal and external labour markets, significant sources of variation are sectoral dynamics and institutional resources related to the external environment. Hence, small firms’ labour markets are shaped by the interplay of internal and external dynamics.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Atkinson, John, and Nigel Meager. 1994. “Running to Stand Still: The Small Firms in the Labour Market.” In Employment, the Small Firms and the Labour Market, edited by John Atkinson and David Storey. London: Routledge.
Bacon, Nicolas, and Kim Hoque. 2005. “HRM in the SME Sector: Valuable Employees and Coercive Networks.” International Journal of Human Resources Management 16 (11): 1976–1999.
Bagnasco, Arnaldo. (1984). Tre Italie. La problematica territoriale dello sviluppo italiano. Napoli: Liguori.
Carrol, Marilyn, Mick Marchington, Jill Earnshaw, and Stephen Taylor. 1999. “Recruitment in Small Firms: Processes, Methods and Problems.” Employee Relations 21 (3): 236–250.
Curran, James, and John Stanworth. 1981. “A New Look at Job Satisfaction in the Small Firm.” Human Relations 34 (5): 343–365.
Doherty, Liz, and Ann Norton. 2014. “Making and Measuring “Good” HR Practice in an SME: The Case of a Yorkshire Bakery.” Employee Relations 36 (2): 128–147.
Dundon, Tony, and Adrian Wilkinson. 2009. “HRM in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).” In Human Resources Management: A Critical Approach. London: Routledge.
Durst, Susanne, and Stefan Wilhelm. 2012. Knowledge Management and Succession Planning in SMEs.” Journal of Knowledge Management 16 (4): 637–649.
Edwards, Paul, Sukanya Sengupta, and Chin-Ju Tsai. 2009. “Managing Low-Skill Workers: A Study of Small UK Food Manufacturing Firms.” Human Resource Management Journal 19 (1): 40–58.
Forth, John, Heln Bewley, and Alex Bryson. 2006. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Findings from the 2004 Workplace Employment Relations Survey. London: Department of Trade and Industry.
Gilman, Mark W., and Paul Edwards. 2008. “Testing a Framework of the Organization of Small Firms: Fast-Growth, High-Tech SMEs.” International Small Business Journal 26 (5): 531–558.
Goss, David. 1988. “Social Harmony and the Small Firm: A Reappraisal.” The Sociological Review 36 (1): 114–132.
Hann, Agnes. 2012. Employment Relations in SMEs: Day-to-Day Advice Seeking and the Role of Intermediaries. London: ACAS.
Holliday, Ruth. 1995. Investigating Small Firms: Nice Work? London: Routledge.
Kinnie, Nick, John Purcell, Sue Hutchinson, Mike Terry, Margaret Collins, and Harry Scarborough. 1999. “Employment Relations in SMEs: Market Driven or Customer Shaped?” Employee Relations 21 (3): 218–235.
Kitching, John, and Robert Blackburn. 2002. The Nature of Training and Motivation to Train in Small Firms. Small Business Research Centre, Kingston University, Research Report RR330.
Marlow, Susan, and Dean Patton. 2002. “Minding the Gap Between Employers and Employees: The Challenge for Owner-Managers of Small Manufacturing Firms.” Employee Relations 24 (5): 523–539.
Matlay, Harry. 2002. “Industrial Relations in the Small Firms Sector of the British Economy.” Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development 9 (3): 307–318.
Moule, Chris. 1998. “Regulation of Work in Small Firms: A View from the Inside”. Work, Employment and Society 12 (4): 635–653.
Patton, Dean. 2005. “Training in Smaller Firms.” In Managing Labour in Small Firms, edited by Susan Marlow, Dean Patton, and Monder Ram. London and New York: Routledge.
Putnam, Robert. 2000. Capitale sociale e individualismo. Bologna: Il Mulino,
Putnam, Robert, and Robert Leonardi. 1993. Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Rainnie, Alistair. 1989. Industrial Relations in Small Firms. London: Routledge.
Ram, Monder. 1991. “Control and Autonomy in Small Firms: The Case of the West Midlands Clothing Industry.” Work, Employment and Society 5 (4): 601–619.
Ram, Monder. 1999. “Managing Autonomy: Employment Relations in Small Professional Service Firms.” International Small Business Journal 17: 1–13.
Ram, Monder. 2001. “Family Dynamics in a Small Consultancy Firm: A Case Study.” Human Relations 54 (4): 395–418.
Ram, Monder, Paul Edwards, and Trevor Jones. 2007. “Informal Work, Small Firms, and Employment Regulation in the United Kingdom.” Work and Occupations 34 (3): 318–344.
Ram, Monder, and Ruth Holliday. 1993. “Relative Merits: Family Culture and Kinship in Small Firms.” Sociology 27 (4): 629–648.
Taylor, Stephen. 2005. “The Hunting of the Snark.” In Labour Management in Small Firms, edited by Sue Marlow, Dean Patton, and Monder Ram. London: Routledge.
Westhead, Paul, and David Storey. 1996. “Management Training and Small Firms Performance: Why Is the Link So Weak?” International Small Business Journal 14 (4): 13–24.
Wynarczyk, Pooran, Robert Watson, David Storey, Helen Short, and Kevin Keasey. 1993. The Managerial Labour Market in Small and Medium Size Enterprises. London: Routledge.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
di Federico, R., Dorigatti, L. (2020). Small Firms and the Labour Market. In: Regalia, I. (eds) Regulating Work in Small Firms. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21820-1_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21820-1_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-21819-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-21820-1
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)