Labour Market Structures and the Processes of Transition

Abstract

Considering the structural changes in the economy and the implications for the labour market, the analysis will focus on the school-towork transition as well as on the transition process into and out of employment. The previous Anglo-German studies concentrated on the school-to-training transitions. They showed how the training systems in Britain and West Germany have been contributing to labour market segmentation, since those who received training obtained qualifications designed for certain types of occupation. The entry level into the (western) training market therefore determines to a great extent which segment of the labour market a person will enter. According to Doeringer and Piore (1971) two segments can be distinguished: a primary and a secondary segment.