ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores both similarities and differences in the development and consequences of temporary agency work (TAW), with a view to showing both the homogenising effects of globalisation and the diverging responses of different nation states. It focuses on interdisciplinary approach, drawing upon different disciplinary perspectives, including those of anthropology, sociology and business and management. The book explores TAW in their respective countries from different angles, but is all grist to the mill for a better understanding of TAW as a complex social phenomenon that embodies flexibility and inequality. It begins with Erin Hatton's investigation of the historical development of the US TAW industry, which did not simply respond to employers' demand. The chapter explains comparative study in Australia, Germany and Singapore with a focus on the drivers, processes, regulation, consequences and implications of TAW.
