Based on the work of Davis (2009a, 2009b) we analyze the shift in employment forms in Germany from the traditional German standard employment relationship ("Normalarbeitsverhältnis") to more recent and novel employment forms (Dombois, 1999). In more detail, we analyze (1) whether there are industry-specific patterns, (2) whether structural features of organizations moderate the change, and whether (3) the system of industrial relations in Germany is a stabilizing or destabilizing factor. The major finding of our study is that there has been a change in employment forms in Germany which, however, has not led to a general and overall transformation in the manufacturing sector. In fact, employment forms in the manufacturing sector are characterized by increasing flexibility at the margins of the workforce, while the core of the workforce has not yet been affected.