CONTENTS
1. Introduction = 1
2. Nature of the reductions sought = 7
Hours of work and paid leave = 8
A Lower normal age of retirement = 12
3. Aims and expectations = 17
Quality of life = 17
Sharing in the benefits of technical and economic progress = 19
Prevention or reduction of unemployment = 21
Parallel measures proposed = 23
4. Objections and arguments = 27
Controversies before the Second World War = 27
Debates at the International Labour Conference = 28
Theoretical disputes = 30
ILO research on effects = 31
Current discussion = 32
Working time = 32
Lowering the age of retirement = 36
The social demand for leisure = 37
5. Potential implications for the individual = 45
Life at work = 46
Attitudes towards the job = 46
Safety, health and welfare = 48
Individual output = 51
Terms of employment and conditions of work = 51
Ways of life = 53
Personal attitudes to works = 57
Search for additional employment = 57
Propensity to withdraw from employment = 62
Possible attraction of full-time employment with shorter normal hours = 65
6. Potential implications at the level of the establishment = 73
General theories = 73
Economics of the firm = 74
Risks of shortages of personnel = 76
Problems of scle = 77
Costs = 78
Estimates of productivity gains = 78
Estimates of costs = 82
Special problems relating to overtime = 85
Need for a case-by-case approach = 86
Employment = 87
Intentions = 88
The record = 90
Work Organization = 92
Influence of methods by which working time is reduced = 94
7. Potential implications for the community as a whole = 103
Scope for redistribution of work = 103
General assumptions = 103
Assessment of past experience = 105
Assessment of prospects = 106
The Economy and employment = 109
General studies = 109
Macro-economic studies = 113
Working time = 113
Age of retirement = 116
Reservations = 117
Effects of increased spare time = 118
Quality of life = 119
Problems of theory = 121
Studies of economic effects = 122
Transfer payments = 126
Effects of lowering the retirement age = 126
Effects of reducing working time in other ways = 129
Adjustment role of transfer policy = 132
8. Conclusions : Desiderata = 141
A comprehensive policy = 141
Appropriate measures = 144
A dynamic approach = 147
