The Good Temp

Smith (sociology, U. of California, Davis) and Neuwirth, a researcher at the Care Management Institute of Kaiser Permanente, examine the development of temporary agencies in the last half of the twentieth century in the US, especially in how the industry reinvented temporary work by marketing the "good temporary worker," who can sometimes be better than a permanent one. They consider one agency in Silicon Valley and how it serves both companies and workers. They focus on lower level workers and don't address outsourcing or companies that hire temps directly, recruitment agencies, day laborers, seasonal workers, or adjunct academic positions. The analysis is based on data from articles from personnel and industry magazines from the 1940s through 1990, interviews with workers, and Neuwirth's field research experiences as a temp. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)