A 'spot market' (labor or other) is a market with surplus supply leading to contracts anytime there is demand. Contracts are mainly price-based (more than qualification- or specification-based).

A classical 'spot market' is that of maritime freight. A less classical one is Proz.com Jobs.

http://www.google.es/search?hl=es&q=wikipedia "spot market"&...
http://www.google.es/search?hl=es&q="maritime freight" "spo...

:)

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Note added at 44 mins (2005-11-23 11:17:56 GMT)
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(I think my 'quick and dirty' definition above is basically correct --particularly in this context--: workers are dealt with as if they were commodities).

Some more formal definitions:

A market in which commodities are bought and sold for cash and immediate delivery.
www.platinum.matthey.com/pgm_prices/1048091126.html

Short term, non-regulated, arms length contract sales of natural gas, crude oil, refined products, or liquid petroleum gas.
www.rrc.state.tx.us/divisions/og/glossary.html

A market in which goods or securities are traded for immediate delivery, as distinct from a forward market. "Spot" in this context means 'immediately effective", so that spot price is the price of immediate delivery (Bannock et al., 1992, 402).
poli.haifa.ac.il/~levi/res/dicpe.html

The spot market refers to instruments that are traded and settle within two business days of the transaction. The spot rate refers to the current market rate for a currency. Interest is either added on (premium) or subtracted from (discount) this rate to determine pricing for non-spot trades, which are referred to as forwards in the FX market.
fxtrade.oanda.com/help/glossary/glossaryS_V.html

An open market of buyers and sellers bidding freely for available supplies of a commodity. In the natural gas market, this generally represents excess deliverability available on a short-term contract basis (usually less than a year) subject to price negotiation.
www.bakercommunications.com/whbt/section6a.htm

A market of immediate delivery of product and immediate payment.
www.silverusersassociation.org/resources/glossary.shtml

the market pertaining to a here and now point in time
www.coalnz.com/re-glossary.htm

This is the market administered by the IESO where electricity is traded.
www.hydroonenetworks.com/en/community/education/glossary/de...

A market for exchange (of currencies, in the case of the exchange market) in the present (as opposed to a forward or futures market in which the exchange takes place in the future).
www-personal.umich.edu/~alandear/glossary/s.html

A commodity market for the purchase and sale of electric energy for a short-term basis (often one day or less.)
www.siliconvalleypower.com/info/

There is a North American market for buying and selling electricity and natural gas. It's essentially a commodity market that trades like soy beans or pork bellies. The price is set based on supply and demand for immediate requirements. The spot price is, for example the price of electricity at one point in time on that market. The price varies extensively in times of extreme heat or cold. In 1999, the spot price for electricity ranged from 4 cents / kilowatt hour to $100.
www.energyshop.com/es/faq/e-gloss.cfm

The market for "immediate" delivery of a currency at a rate set now, the spot rate. "Immediate" usually refers to two business days between order and delivery and settlement.
www.cbtworldwide.com/glossary.htm

A market for unplanned purchases not made under contract terms. Transactions usually made on a one-time basis. Related terms: spot buy, spot demand.
www.eyefortransport.com/glossary/st.shtml

The buying and selling of uranium products for delivery within one year.
www.denisonmines.com/content/fundamentals/glossaryofterms.c...

This market is usually comprised of motor fuel that has not been pre-allocated to the integrated or branded outlets. Retailers and other fuel distributors purchase fuel at terminals, or "racks," where costs fluctuate based on current prices.
cstorecentral.com/NACS/Resource/PRToolkit/Campaigns/prtk_gp2005_Statistics.htm

An imaginary commercial market where petroleum products, crude, feed stocks are made for short or long term availability. These deals are effected through communication networks (e-mails, faxes telephone, telexes, etc) involving strong promises to deliver negotiated quantities on specific days and places to a refinery or consumer. The notable spot Markets are North Europe (long/Rotterdam), America (New Year and Houston) and South East Asia (Tokyo).
www.oandoplc.com/html/glossary.html

Any market in which goods change hands "on the spot". Traders in the spot market (or cash market) make transactions for immediate payment and delivery. In contrast to the futures market, where payment and delivery occur at a future date.
www.eagletraders.com/books/afm/afm_glossary.htm

Commodities and foreign currencies are traded for immediate delivery and payment on the spot market, also known as a cash market. The term refers to the fact that the current market price is paid in cash on the spot, or within a short period of time.
www.pathtoinvesting.org/dictionary/words_s.htm

A market characterized by short-term typically interruptible or best efforts contracts for specified volumes of gas.
www.altusgroup.com/generalglossary/s.asp

The market for transactions in physical power for each hour during the susbsequent 24-hour period. 2) Futures Market The market for financial power transactions up to three years in the future.
www.nordpool.no/information/glossary.html

Market on which temporary imbalances between electricity sales and purchases are eliminated through physical contracts or forward positions.
www2.rwe.geber.at/2003/en/service/glossary

The currency market for immediate delivery, although, in the spot market, delivery is usually two working days after the transaction date.
wps.pearsoned.co.uk/wps/media/objects/1420/1454800/glossary/glossary.html

a market in which a commodity is bought or sold for immediate delivery or delivery in the very near future
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn


:)





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Note added at 1 day 5 hrs 50 mins (2005-11-24 16:24:27 GMT) Post-grading
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thanks everyone :)