This publication deals with current labor market issues in Japan, Germany and the European Union. In the book, the "labor market" serves as central focus point, yet the methodology of addressing this focus point is very broad. It includes the analysis of the general labor market development and its conditions in the European Union and in Japan as well as more specific investigations, such as the impact of fiscal policies, exchange rates or information technology on the demand for labor. The book also focusses on the single firm level, particularly on organizational performance, worktime flexibility and on occupational health and safety management. Other contributions address specific subsectors of the economy, such as the role of the female workforce in Japan, the development of the rural labor market in East Germany or the comparative impact of international workforce migrations in Hungary and in Japan. The results of the book, which reflect the outcome of an international conference at the University of Freiburg in 1996, may help to understand in more detail one of the most complex and serious problems of today's society and to find ways for its solution.

Inhalt
Inhalt: T. J. Dams, Adjustment Problems for the Rural Labor Market within the Transformation Process of East Germany ("Neue Bundesländer") - B. Friedman, Labour Market Problems in the European Union - S. Keiko, Low Unemployment Rate and Female Labour Supply in Japan - Y. Arayama, Choice to not be Employed in Intact Families: Interaction between Male and Female Household Members and the Determination of Working or not Working, of Working Hours, and Working Days - T. Matsugi, Recent Aspects of the Japanese Labor Market in a Changing Economic Structure - A. Oberhauser, A Pro-cyclical Fiscal Policy which Increases Unemployment: A Consequence of an Individual Economic Orientation - M. Pflüger / A. Spermann, Ecological Tax Reform. A Route to More Employment? - H. Nitsch, Exchange Rate Impacts on Japanese Labor Input - T. Yamamoto, A Comparative Study between Migratory Manpower Pressures by Industrial Hollowing-out in Japan and Economic Opening-up in Hungary - Y. Nishijima, Standardization of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems - G. Müller / T. Bussiek, The Information Highway and the Future of Work - M. Kurz, Working Time and Work Location Flexibility; the Example of IBM Germany - T. Kishida, Labor Market and Work Organization