A comparative analysis of employment practices among post-communist and capitalist countries in South Eastern Europe

• Published in: Employee relations 2010, Vol.32 (3), p.248-261
• Main Authors: Sahadev, Sunil, Demirbag, Mehmet
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Comparative analysis; Employment; Employment practices; Free markets; Market economies; Organization theory; Skills; Statistical analysis; Transition economies
• ISSN: 0142-5455; 1758-7069
• DOI: 10.1108/01425451011038780

Purpose - This paper aims to explore the level of convergence in employment practices among firms in the post-communist countries and capitalist countries in South Eastern Europe. Firms from a total of ten countries were included in the post-communist block and firms from Greece and Turkey were included in the capitalist block. The main purpose was to verify whether employment practices in firms in the post-communist countries now resemble that of firms in the capitalist countries after almost a decade of transition.Design methodology approach - The study analyzed the employment practices in terms of the skill ration, employment of temporary workers and the education level of employees of about 8,000 firms in the region.Findings - In terms of skill ratio and the education level significant levels of divergence was found between firms in post-communist countries and capitalist countries. However, in terms of employing temporary workers significant levels of convergence was detected.Research implications limitations - The research shows that there is some convergence in the employment practices of post-communist countries and capitalist countries. This shows that several post-communist countries in South East Europe have completed the transition from a communist society to a capitalist society.Originality value - The study is one of the first, which compares the employment practices of post-communist and capitalist countries in the region. By showing some levels of convergence, the study argues that the transition period in the post-communist economies is finally ending and thus firms in post-communist countries finally resemble those in capitalist countries at least in employment practices.