Employment relationships within European airport retailing

Abstract

Despite undergoing major strategic change, airport retailing has remained a neglected area of academic study. As a consequence, the structure and operation of labour market operations within airport retailing remains largely undocumented. This article attempts to redress this issue by providing an examination of the factors that influence the employment relationship within an airport environment. Using a qualitative research methodology, it details the means by which airport authorities and retailers have attempted to restructure their employment relations in response to changing market conditions. The article takes the concepts of labour market segmentation and flexibility and examines the applicability of ‘dualist’ theory to airport retailing.