Well-functioning labour markets are a precondition for economic development. In order to function smoothly the market needs to be able to adjust effectively and quickly to new developments. An understanding and analysis of adjustment processes within labour markets is therefore essential for economic theory and policy proposals. This study discusses the ‘flow approach’ to mobility and adjustment in labour markets. It presents an overview of flow analysis and provides many new theoretical and empirical insights. It covers all the major industrialized economies, including: USA, Canada, Japan, The Netherlands, UK, France, Italy and Germany.