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.

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-authored Everyday Impact of Economic Reform in China (both published by Routledge).