Proceedings of 8th European Assembly on telework (Telework2001)

168environments. On the contrary, traditional employment contracts have proven to be adaptable torapid changes in company environments; they have also proven to be able to allow a considerabledegree <strong>of</strong> flexibility without becoming superfluous.That is not to say that certain elements <strong>of</strong> the concept <strong>of</strong> eLancing will not gain considerable spreadand importance. This applies, in particular, to the extent to which individual workers are givenmore responsibility for the way they reach work targets. Robert Reich, the former Labor Secretary<strong>of</strong> the United States, has pointed out (Mandels 2001: n.p.) that ‘the way you gain a promotion todayis to promote yourself. We are becoming an economy <strong>of</strong> free agents. Even full-time employeesare paid depending on their performance’. In this understanding <strong>of</strong> the phrase, free agents do notnecessarily have to be formally self-employed, but they behave more like those who are. This viewis in line with the findings <strong>of</strong> social researchers and psychologists who have looked into how theshape and content <strong>of</strong> work have changed in recent times (e.g. Voß 1998; Büssing and Glaser 1998).Work for dependent employees is gradually feeling more like being self-employed, while on theother hand, self-employed freelancers are integrated in networks that encourage them to behavelike employees in ‘virtual companies’.In all <strong>of</strong> this, the Internet is <strong>of</strong> substantial importance as it changes the way we interact withpeople. It does so mostly by complementing traditional modes <strong>of</strong> behaviour (such as face-to-facejob interviews, which are made more efficient because the preceding selection <strong>of</strong> candidates hasbecome more accurate through Internet-based matching) rather than replacing them.ReferencesArnold, O., Faisst, W., Härtling, M. and Sieber, P. (1995) ‘Virtuelle Unternehmen als Unternehmenstyp derZukunft?’, HMD Theorie und Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik, 32(185): 8-23.Bosch, G. (2000a) ‘Arbeitszeit, Arbeitsorganisation und Qualifikation’, Personalführung, 33(10): 52-60.Büssing, A. and Glaser, J. (1998) ‘Arbeitszeit und neue Organisations- und Beschäftigungsformen: ZumSpannungsverhältnis von Flexibilität und Autonomie’, Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung,31(3): 585-598.Burkeman, O. (2000) ‘Fast and Loose’, The Guardian, 29 March.Conlin, M. (2000) ‘And Now, the Just-in-Time Employee’, Business Week, 28 August: 94-95.Dostal, W. (2000) ‘Die Informatisierung der Arbeitswelt – Ein erster Blick auf die Ergebnisse der BIBB/IAB-Erhebung’, Beiträge zur Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, 231: 151-167.Gareis, K. (2001) ‘The Electronic Freelancing Economy: Myth or Reality? An Overview <strong>of</strong> Evidence’, STAR IssueReport No. 9, www.databank.it/star.Gareis, K. and Mentrup, A. (2001a) ‘Virtualisation <strong>of</strong> Labour Market Transactions: Technological Potential andStatus Quo’, STAR Issue Report No. 7, www.databank.it/star.Gareis, K. and Mentrup, A. (2001b) ‘On the e-Work Frontier: Developments Towards an Internet-based LabourMarket in a Forerunner Industry’, STAR Issue Report No. 8, www.databank.it/star.ILO (2001): World Employment Report 2001 – Life at Work in the Information Economy, Geneva: ILO.Kleinhenz, G.D. (1998) ‘Zum Wandel der Organisationsbedingungen von Arbeit – eine Einführung’, Mitteilungenaus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, 31 (3): 405-408.Laubacher, R.J. and Malone, T.W. (1997) ‘Two Scenarios for 21st Century Organizations: Shifting Networks <strong>of</strong>Small Firms or All-Encompassing ‘Virtual Countries’?’ Working Paper No. 1, MIT Sloan School <strong>of</strong> Management,21st Century Initiative, Cambridge.Laubacher, R.J. and Malone, T.W. (2000) ‘Retreat <strong>of</strong> the Firm and the Rise <strong>of</strong> the Guilds: The EmploymentRelationship in an Age <strong>of</strong> Virtual Business’, Working Paper No. 33, MIT Sloan School <strong>of</strong> Management, 21stCentury Initiative, Cambridge.Leonard, B. (2000) ‘Online and Overwhelmed: Internet Recruiting’, HR Magazine, 45 (8): 36-39.Pink, D.H. (1997) ‘Free Agent Nation’, Fast Company, 12: 131-140.Sydow, J. (1992) Strategische Netzwerke. Evolution und Organisation, Wiesbaden: Gabler.Voß, G. (1998) ’Entgrenzte Arbeit und Entgrenzte Arbeitskraft. Eine subjektorientierte Interpretation des Wandelsder Arbeit’, Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, 31 (3): 473-487.Wigand, R.T., Picot, A. and Reichwald, R. (1997) Information, Organization and Management: Expanding Markets