Theorie der Segmentierung von Arbeitsmärkten: Darstellung und Kritik neuerer Ansätze mit besonderer Berücksichtigung arbeitsmarktpolitischer Konsequenzen

Recent Labour Market Theories: After examining the past twenty years discussions about labour market theory, this article suggests the outlines of a new conceptual approach. One can distinguish two competitive paradigms: the "economic paradigm", which continues the neoclassical tradition of thinking; and the "institutional paradigm", which stresses the importance of the institutionalization of behavioral patterns such as "industrial relations", administrative rules, educational and political systems. The main part of the essay presents two new approaches to labour market theory: one developed by the ‚Institut für Sozialwissenschaftliche Forschung‘ (ISF) in Munich, the other devised by several economists in Cambridge, Mass. (Doeringer, Piore et al.). In contradiction to the traditional devisions of the labour market into local, regional, or sex specific sub-markets, both of these new theories compartmentalize the labour market in different segments with regard to functional characteristics of the labour market. According to their analysis, market mechanisms function only in some segments but not in others or accross segments. This paper develops the logic of these two theories, demonstrates their political consequences, and highlights the shortcomings of the theories. The segmentation theory of ISF at the present stage follows more the line of the "economic paradigm": The segmentation is mainly a consequence of the interest of individuals or groups (e. g. firms) to gain the returns from earlier investments in human capital. In order to include other factors determining the functioning of the labour market, such as search-, social- and psychological costs and benefits, the ISF-approach is forced to enlarge the investment concept in such a way that the theory becomes no longer falsificable. The "dual labour market theory" of Doeringer, Piore et al. operates more along the lines of the "institutional paradigm": The labour market is mainly divided into two markets, one with lower pay, bad working conditions, poor career chances etc., and the other with higher pay, good working conditions, high and formalized career, etc. Despite its substantial and innovative contribution, the main weakness of this approach remains the lack of a "political economy of labour" which also includes the analysis of power relationships within and between classes. This article argues that, regardless of their short-comings, both theories stand as important contributions which are nece