In this research project we analyse strategies to increase labour market flexibility of firms. Due to the constant rise in labour market requirements for all participants, firms need to react to the increasing heterogeneity in the labour market by flexible human resource policies.

The project contains four sub-projects:

1. technical and organisational change and the firms labour demand for skilled female and elderly workers,
2. determinants and consequences of contingent labour contracts,
3. approaches to protect firms investments in general human capital,
4. flexibility capabilities in wage policy and work organisation.

All sub-projects represent consequent advancements of the current discussion. The theoretical analysis is based on the modern personnel economics. Hence, the investigations mainly focus on the level of the firm and thus deal with firm strategies. All topics will be analysed econometrically, which is facilitated by the availability of firm and individual level data sets as well as linked employer employee data.