What is Charles Handy’s Shamrock Organization and how does it increase flexibility in the workforce?

Charles Handy’s Shamrock model advises a business to have three types of workers:

  1. Core workers: full time, permanent staff, may be managers/professionals, central production staff

  2. Peripheral workers: temporary, flexible, part-time workers

  3. Contract workers: employed for a specific task, often for a certain time period (outsourcing)

With only core workers present, there would be no flexibility of time or expertise. Including peripheral workers in the workforce allows for the time aspect of flexibility to be ensured, while including contract workers allows for the expertise aspect to be achieved. 

JR
Answered by Julia R. Business Studies tutor

29822 Views

See similar Business Studies IB tutors

Related Business Studies IB answers

All answers ▸

What is Porters Five Forces?


What is an externality?


Use Maslow's hierarchy of needs to identify and explain factors that influence jab satisfaction.


In the context of company X(supermarket), distinguish between Just-In-Time (JIT) and Just-In-Case (JIC)


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning