During the past two decades, an increasing amount of public policy and academic attention has focused on different aspects of the quality of employment. Analysts have recognized that, for many people, just having a job may not be enough to ensure even a basic standard of living. As the dual processes of globalization and liberalization have generated continuous calls for labour market flexibilization, employment conditions such as wages, job stability and career prospects have changed and become at least as important a subject of study as traditional indicators such as employment or unemployment rates.