This book is a welcome reassertion of an old tradition of interdisdplinary research. That tradition has tended to atrophy in the last decade, largely because of an enormous expansion of the domain of neoc1assical
economics. The expansion has fed on two sdentific developments: first, human capital theory; second, contract theory. Both developments have taken phenomena critical to the operation of the economy but previously understood in
terms of categories separate and distinct from those with which economists generally work and sought to apply the same analytical techniques that we use to understand other economic problems. Human capital theory has applied
conventional techniques to questions of labor supply. It began this endeavor with the supply of trained labor and then expanded to a general theory of labor supply by broadening the analysis to the allocation of time over the
individual's life, the interdependendes of supply decisions within the family, and finally to the formation of the family itself. Similarly, contract theory has moved from a theory that explains the existence of c10sed
economic institutions to a theory of their formation and internaioperation. The hallmark of both of these developments is the extension and applica tion of analytical techniques based on purposive maximization under con
traints and the interaction of individual decision makers through a com petitive market or its analogue.
Industry Reviews
"This collection of essays explores the relationship between sociology and economics with specific focus on work structures and markets... The essays illustrate the limitations of the conventional approaches in the respective disciplines... The book assumes some familiarity with basic concepts in each discipline. Its level of difficulty is most suited to advanced students or faculty having an interest in theoretical and methodological issues." --R. L. Hogler, Choice "[T]his volume is very good and should have a significant impact. I can recommend it to students of organizations, labor markets, and social stratification. The theoretical articles make some economic views on the labor market accessible to sociologists and draw relevant comparisons to sociological viewpoints... The empirical articles... are standard sociological treatments of social stratification and industrial organization." --Trond Petersen, Contemporary Sociology "Industries, Firms, and Jobs undertakes the difficult but important task of integrating sociological and economic perspectives on employment... Industries, Firms, and Jobs is likely to interest anyone studying employment. The book discusses some exciting new issues and approaches and reminds researchers of the importance of some old problems that remain unsolved." --Alison Davis-Blake, Administrative Science Quarterly "[T]he essays are uniformly first-rate. As such, they should be considered as "must reading" for both labor economists and organizational behavior sociologists who are concerned with the intellectual content and the future direction of their fields." --Vernon M. Briggs, Jr., Social Forces
