What specifically has promoted the growth in subcontracting and outsourcing of certain business functions. Some of this change is externally driven NB the European 48 hour working directive and the French 35-hour working laws. Other examples emergence of annual hours contracts rather than a 38 or 40-hour week. An employer would love to be able to ask staff to work more flexibility than this and get a willing response.
Staff can balance their home and other personal activites with work and commuting etc.
Where modes of flexible working are introduced, the aim is to cut down on overtime or automatic special payments. Imagine the range of flexibility agreements which have to be managed on each side - employer and employee. Exercise Such work flexibilities rely on advanced information technologies which promotes new forms of organisational structuring.