The Use of Temporary Staff and Managers in a Local Government Environment

Abstract

This article employs a case study to assess the relative efficacy of two theoretical perspectives in understanding temporary labor use to restructure a county information systems department. Specifically, a department's experience is reviewed in light of transaction cost and social network theories—two perspectives that have explanatory potential for temporary employment systems. The juxtaposition of a temporary, private employment system with a permanent, government labor regime produced significant strains and contrasts and important benefits. Particularly interesting was the use of temporary management in addition to temporary direct labor in the restructuring. Management's effort to cope with the challenges of restructuring, present interview findings, and quantitative data based on questionnaire responses of 99 temporary and permanent employees concerning their satisfaction, job and work involvement, and interdependence are reviewed. Transaction cost and social network theories complement one another in interpreting questionnaire and interview findings to understand temporary employment systems.