Title
Contingent Labor Contracting Under Demand and Supply Uncertainty.
Abstract
Firms increasingly use contingent labor to flexibly respond to demand in many environments. Labor supply agencies are growing to fill this need. As a result, firms and agencies are engaging in long-term contracts for labor supply. We develop mathematical models of the interaction between firms and labor supply agencies when demand and supply are uncertain. We consider two models of labor supply uncertainty, termed productivity and availability uncertainty, and study how each affects the nature of the contracts formed. These models reflect two major roles played by the labor supply agency. In the case of productivity uncertainty we find that it is possible to construct a contract that coordinates the firm and agency hiring in an optimal way. In contrast, we show that in environments characterized by availability uncertainty, optimal contracts are not possible. However, there is a large range of contract parameters for which both parties would benefit from a contract. We analyze these and discuss the trade-offs that should be considered in contract negotiation.
Year
DOI
Venue
2001
10.1287/mnsc.47.8.1046.10233
Ssrn Electronic Journal
Keywords
Field
DocType
contract parameter,labor supply agency,labor supply uncertainty,contract negotiation,optimal contract,long-term contract,labor supply,supply uncertainty,contingent labor,productivity uncertainty,availability uncertainty,demand and supply,stochastic,mathematical model
Economics,Implicit contract theory,Microeconomics,Excess supply,Contract management,Supply and demand,Negotiation,Supply
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
47
8
0025-1909
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
12
1.46
0
Authors
2
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Joseph M. Milner1797.36
Edieal J. Pinker229630.60