The Dynamics of Asian Labour Markets Balancing Control and Flexibility

Asia has undergone rapid economic transformation over the past two decades. Despite its constant economic growth, the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the resulting surge in unemployment highlighted the vulnerability of national systems that base development solely on economic growth. This book fills a major research gap by exploring the nature, dynamics and functioning of Asian labour markets in eight major Asian economies, including Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Vietnam, India and Malaysia. It examines the type of labour markets that exist in Asia; how they have responded to globalisation; and how flexible they are to changing social and economic conditions. The book analyses how the current transformation has impacted on the key parties, such as employers, employees, trade unions, governments, organisations and society as a whole, and considers the likely future trends and developments in Asian labour markets.

1. Labour markets in Asia: globalization and transition - John Benson and Ying Zhu 2. Labour markets in theory and practice: perspectives from Western industrial countries - Howard Gospel 3. Labour markets in Japan: change and continuity – John Benson 4. Labour markets in South Korea: transitions towards flexibilities? - Chris Rowley, Kil-Sang Yoo, and Dong-Heon Kim 5. Labour markets in Singapore: flexibility in adversity – Chris Leggett 6. Labour markets in Hong Kong: changes and advances after the 1997 reunification with China – Sek Hong Ng and Olivia Ip 7. Labour markets in China: coming to terms with globalization – Malcolm Warner 8. Labour markets in Vietnam: developments under the economic reform and globalization – Ying Zhu 9. Labour markets in India: informality and inequality - Debashish Bhattacherjee and Errol D’souza 10. Labour markets in Malaysia: evolution to a knowledge-based economy? - Nagiah Ramasamy and Chris Rowley 11. Labour markets in Asia: a comparative analysis - Ying Zhu and John Benson

John Benson is Professor and Head of the School of Management at the University of South Australia. His recent books include, as editor, Trade Unions in Asia, and, as co-author, Everyday Impact of Economic Reform in China (with Ying Zhu and Michael Webber – both published by Routledge). Ying Zhu is Professor and Director of the Centre for Asian Business in the International Graduate School of Business at the University of South Australia. He and John Benson co-edited Unemployment in Asia and Trade Unions in Asia, and co-authoredEveryday Impact of Economic Reform in China (both published by Routledge).