La flexibilidad laboral como estrategia de competitividad y sus efectos sobre la economía, la empresa y el mercado de trabajo

Abstract

IN RECENT YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A STRONG DISCUSSION ON THE NEED OF MAKING MEXICO'S LABOR MARKET MORE FLEXIBLE, IN ORDER TO INCREASE EMPLOYMENT LEVELS AND FOR BETTER COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS VIS A VIS THE REST OF EMERGING MARKETS. SEVERAL COUNTRIES IN EUROPE AND LATIN AMERICA HAVE CARRIED OUT A SERIES OF LABOR REFORMS SINCE THE 90'S, WITH THE PURPOSE OF REDUCING THE HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND IN ORDER TO PROMOTE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE PRODUCTION SYSTEM, BY MEANS OF A BETTER USE OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND IMPRINTING MORE DYNAMISM ON ECONOMY. HOWEVER, THE RESULTS SO FAR HAVE BEEN VERY CONTROVERSIAL IN SOME CASES. THEREFORE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LABOR FLEXIBILITY, BECAUSE IN SOME CASES THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT IDEAS AND POSITIONS ABOUT ITS MEANING AND CONSEQUENCES. ALSO, IT IS IMPORTANT TO INDICATE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL MECHANISMS OF LABOR FLEXIBILITY, WHICH MAY AFFECT DIFFERENT MAGNITUDES IN THE LABOR MARKET AND THE ENTERPRISE. THIS PAPER GROUPS VARIOUS POSITIONS ABOUT LABOR FLEXIBILITY AND ANALYZES THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE USE OF EACH MECHANISM ON ECONOMY, BUSINESS AND LIVING CONDITIONS OF WORKERS.