Segmentation Theory and the New Zealand Labour Market

Abstract

Segmented Labour Market (SLM) analysis by no means enjoys a unified or clearly structured theoretical base. Analysts emphasise a variety of factors in their explanations of the existence of inequalities in the labour market. This paper uses an industry approach to evaluate inequalities. A case study of two industries is used -the plastics industry and the hotel/ restaurant industry- on the assumption that each will exhibit characteristics defining them as primary and secondary sectors respectively. The paper focuses on indicative findings of both inter-industry and intra-industry labour market segmentation. The approach taken is part of a broader doctoral thesis, which seeks to establish a viable SLM paradigm within the context of post-ECA New Zealand labour market conditions.