Abstract
The capacity of a nation to maintain good jobs and good rates of pay rests upon profitable and prosperous employers. While regulations provide the basis for this, their impact on productivity and growth is virtually unknown at the small to medium enterprise (SME) level. With this context in mind, this chapter will draw on data from a two-year research programme to examine the changing landscape of employment regulation from the self-employed and small business perspective. Given the importance of this sector to the economy, understanding this relationship is vital to business growth and, many suggest, to innovation and the future prosperity of the country. The chapter combines an extensive literature review, analysis of data sources as well as interviews with informed stakeholders within SMEs to yield insights into the nature, patterns, and implications of (workplace) regulations for Australian SMEs. What we find in our Australian example is that the voice of small business is largely missing in the discourse surrounding workplace regulation. We conclude that rectifying this absence is long overdue and likely to create quality outcomes for all.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Research Handbook on Self-Employment and Public Policy |
Editors | Wieteke Conen, Enrico Reuter |
Publisher | Edward Elgar Publishing |
Chapter | 15 |
Pages | 264-281 |
Number of pages | 17 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781800881860 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781800881853 |
Publication status | Published - 6 Aug 2024 |