This paper applies the actor-centered institutionalist theoretical framework to research into flexicurity strategies. The first part summarizes the actor-centered institutionalist framework, as developed by Renate Mayntz, Frits Scharpf and others. The second part illustrates how this framework can be used to sharpen both research questions and their hypothetical answers on the flexicurity research agenda. For illustrative purposes, this part focuses on the specific theme of the institutionalisation of markets for intermediate skills.