Introduction

The E.S.R.C. Labour Economics Study Group has held regular seminar meetings since 1971. The usual format for these meetings has been for the group to gather for an afternoon on four or five occasions each year to hear and discuss two papers. This format has advantages in that it enables new work to be disseminated rapidly, while it is fresh and topical. Its disadvantage, however, is that it does not facilitate the kind of in depth discussion which is more easily available in a conference setting.