Professor Matthew Bidwell's research examines new patterns in work and employment, focusing in particular the causes and effects of more short-term, market oriented employment relationships. He has conducted detailed research on the contracting workforce in information technology, publishing papers on how those contractors are used within firms, on the effects of their relationships with staffing firms, and on who goes into contracting. A second focus of his research explores how workers build careers across organizations, working in different kinds of workplaces at different points in their careers. Current projects explore how organizations balance internal promotions with external hiring, and why worker mobility has increased in recent years.