Abstract
Analysing the British Labour Force Survey, this paper highlights that dependent self-employed workers constitute a group distinct from both employees and independent self-employed workers in the labour market group. Dependent self-employed workers show characteristics of a more volatile labour market attachment than employed or self-employed workers. We provide empirical evidence that dependent self-employed workers are rather pushed than pulled into this labour market status, making dependent self-employment an example of necessity rather than opportunity entrepreneurship. Although data limitations only allow a limited longitudinal analysis, we provide evidence that the majority of dependent self-employed workers remain in the labour market in the short run - either as self-employed or employed - and that only few leave the labour market. In addition, dependent self-employment does not create jobs for others; in our data, dependent self-employed individuals stop being dependent and self-employed because they increase their customer base or return to paid employment.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 182-195 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Zeitschrift für Arbeitsmarktforschung |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2009 |
Fields of science
- 405002 Agricultural economics
- 502 Economics
- 502001 Labour market policy
- 502002 Labour economics
- 502003 Foreign trade
- 502009 Corporate finance
- 502010 Public finance
- 502012 Industrial management
- 502013 Industrial economics
- 502018 Macroeconomics
- 502020 Market research
- 502021 Microeconomics
- 502025 Econometrics
- 502027 Political economy
- 502039 Structural policy
- 502042 Environmental economics
- 502046 Economic policy
- 502047 Economic theory
- 504014 Gender studies
- 506004 European integration
- 507016 Regional economy
- 303010 Health economics
JKU Focus areas
- Social Systems, Markets and Welfare States
- Social and Economic Sciences (in general)
