Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study aimed to examine the structural changes affecting the duration of unemployment across households in South Africa. It made use of existing datasets from the Labour Force Survey produced by Statistics South Africa, covering a period of six years (2011-2016). Relations among demographic and household variables were explored to determine how they related to unemployment duration. On the basis of the relations identified, a predictive analysis of unemployment duration was attempted using two-level modelling. The results suggest a significant difference in the duration of unemployment, according to the individual socio-demographic characteristics and the household moderating variables. More specifically, the greatest share percentage of both men and women experiencing long-term unemployment were found within the age group 25-34 years. The study also found that the percentage share of Non-White population groups experiencing longer duration of unemployment was more than for the White population group. Another variable found to have great influence on the duration of unemployment was the individual’s previous work experience. Going beyond the individual’s socio-demographic characteristics to consider household variables. It was found that unemployed workers living in households headed by a female are more vulnerable to longer unemployment duration. The study found individuals living in smaller households displaying longer unemployment duration. Also, it was found that individuals living in less endowed households (households where no one or few people were in gainful employment) were more vulnerable to experiencing longer unemployment spells. The study concluded with some recommendations for employment policy and follow-up research.

The aim of my final master thesis is to describe the situation about higher education graduates and their position on the labour market in the Czech Republic. I am especially observing the employment and unemployment situation of people who have completed higher education. Due to the rapid increase in their number, I consider the topic to date. For assessing the whole situation first I characterize the educational situation in the Czech Republic. I focus on the educational structure of the population by age, gender and region. I am using mainly data from the Labour Force Survey, averages for the year 2014. Furthermore I briefly describe higher education students and recent graduates. Finally, I try to link these two parts with part of the labour market. To track the position of educated people like this I use descriptive methods and analytical methods. I deal with the influence of education on time spent on the labour market. Based on the tables of the economic activity I estimate the life expectancy of activity life by educational attainment. For this I am using the educational structure of the population from the Labour Force Survey and data on the number of deaths. In the final analytical part of my work I observe with the help of logistic regression and statistical program SAS the odds ratios...

In the presented thesis the aim is to apply methods of survival analysis to the data from the Labour Force Survey, which are interval-censored. With regard to this type of data, I use specific methods designed to handle them, especially Turnbull estimate, weighted log-rank test and the AFT model. Other objective of the work is the design and application of a methodology for creating a model of unemployment duration, depending on the available factors and its interpretation. Other aim is to evaluate evolution of the probability distribution of unemployment duration and last but not least aim is to create more accurate estimate of the tail using extreme value theory. The main benefits of the thesis can include the creation of a methodology for examining the data from the Labour Force Survey based on standard techniques of survival analysis. Since the data are internationally comparable, the methodology is applicable at the level of European Union countries and several others. Another benefit of this work is estimation of the parameters of the generalized Pareto distribution on interval-censored data and creation and comparison of the models of piecewise connected distribution functions with solution of the connection problem. Work brought empirical results, most important of which is the comparison of results from three different data approaches and specific relationship between selected factors and time to find a job or spell of unemployment.