This paper explores the relationship between temporary company affiliation and working conditions for a group of information technology workers. The problem is addressed through three competing discourses: a periphery discourse, a market discourse and a professional discourse. The analysis shows...

Temporary help agencies are among the largest employers of American workers today. Depending upon the interpretation, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counts between 3 and 30 million Americans in contingent and part-time work arrangements. We model firms' use of contingent labor in maximizing...