No description available.

Statistical discrimination is frequently applied to illustrate different economic opportunities among equally able individuals. We use statistics from 1994, the second wave of the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, to analyze the income received from paid work jobs as the measure of an individuals economic opportunity. At the same time, Heckmans two-stage procedure is performed to account for possible bias that arises from estimating with only a pool of paid workers. We are interested in testing the following hypotheses: whether employers statistically discriminate among potential workers on the basis of education and immigration status if they have limited information about those workers and whether they learn to revise their judgments as new information is obtained. The results confirm the employer learning and statistical discrimination based on years of schooling hypotheses for the Canadian labour market. The labour market returns to initially unobservable characteristic increases with time spend in the labour market. In addition, wage becomes less related to education that employers initially use to infer an individuals productivity. On the other hand, immigration status is not very informative about the productivity of a worker and the results do not support the hypothesis of statistical discrimination on the basis of immigration status. This paper points out the challenges faced by traditional labour market policies in a world of statistical discrimination and employer learning.

No description available.

Statistical discrimination is frequently applied to illustrate different economic opportunities among equally able individuals. We use statistics from 1994, the second wave of the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, to analyze the income received from paid work jobs as the measure of an individuals economic opportunity. At the same time, Heckmans two-stage procedure is performed to account for possible bias that arises from estimating with only a pool of paid workers. We are interested in testing the following hypotheses: whether employers statistically discriminate among potential workers on the basis of education and immigration status if they have limited information about those workers and whether they learn to revise their judgments as new information is obtained. The results confirm the employer learning and statistical discrimination based on years of schooling hypotheses for the Canadian labour market. The labour market returns to initially unobservable characteristic increases with time spend in the labour market. In addition, wage becomes less related to education that employers initially use to infer an individuals productivity. On the other hand, immigration status is not very informative about the productivity of a worker and the results do not support the hypothesis of statistical discrimination on the basis of immigration status. This paper points out the challenges faced by traditional labour market policies in a world of statistical discrimination and employer learning.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between labour market rigidities and unemployment. The thesis does not attempt to undertake surveys, providing instead an overview of the literature and of South African works. The unemployment - labour market rigidity debate is analysed with particular reference to the experiences of European countries belonging the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It appears that while adverse shocks acted in the direction of raising unemployment, they could not account for the considerable heterogeneity or the persistence in unemployment levels across countries. The possibility that labour market institutions or rigidities had a role to play in propagating the effects of adverse shocks on unemployment was then raised, leading to the emergence of a broad consensus that European unemployment has its sources in the interactions of adverse shocks and adverse labour market institutions. Rigidities in the labour market have their source in trade union intransigence and in the legislation governing the labour market. Trade unions in South Africa are strong and in the past have been particularly militant in achieving their objectives of raising members' wages and improving conditions of employment. The regulatory environment in which the South African labour market operates was examined . South Africa's adoption of labour legislation that is very trade union friendly, and that introduces greater inflexibility into the market and affects business's abilities to adapt to change, which is particularly necessary within the context of globalisation, is against the trend observed internationally. The implementation of such legislation seems irresponsible in a country where conservatively 26,4 percent of the economically active population is unemployed. / Thesis (M.Comm.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

AFRIKAANS: Die arbeidsmark en die wyse waarop die arbeidsmark funksioneer dra by tot die doeltreffende funksionering van enige ekonomie. Die swak prestasies van die Suid¬Afrikaanse ekonomie die afgelope aantal jare is indikatief van die ondoeltreffende wyse waarop veral die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark funksioneer. Ondernemings slaag dus oor die algemeen nie daarin om dinamiese arbeids- en indiensnamepraktyke toe te pas en produktiwiteit betekenisvol te verhoog nie. Verskeie faktore dra by tot die ondoeltreffendheid van die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark. In dié verband kan in besonder verwys word na die invloed van apartheid. Hierdie beleidsrigting het die geleenthede van individue beperk en 'n besondere impak op die arbeidsmark gehad. Dit is hoofsaaklik weens die apartheidsbeleid dat die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark sterk gesegmenteerd is, dit wil sê, permanent verdeel is in twee hoofsaaklik nie-mededingende marksegmente (Barker, 1992:16). Die regering het egter sedert 1994 daadwerklike pogings aangewend om arbeidsverhoudinge en gevolglik die arbeidsmark by wyse van wetgewing te hervorm. In die studie word verskeie veranderlikes geïdentifiseer wat met die arbeidsmark verband hou, maar terselfdertyd indikatief is van die swak prestasies van die Suid¬Afrikaanse ekonomie, naamlik, hoë en stygende werkloosheidsvlakke, die lae werkskeppingskapasiteit van die ekonomie, armoede en ongelykheid, relatief lae produktiwiteitsvlakke en hoë eenheidsarbeidskoste, tekort aan vaardige en geskoolde arbeid, die relatief hoë koste van arbeid en die onbuigsaamheid van die arbeidsmark. Dit is in besonder die lae produktiwiteitsvlakke in die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie wat Suid-Afrika se kapasiteit om vinnige en volgehoue ekonomiese groei te bewerkstellig (en gevolglik internasionaal mededingend te wees) nadelig beïnvloed. Die belangrikheid van produktiwiteit kan dus nie oorbeklemtoon word nie. Produktiwiteit dien as 'n maatstaf van die doeltreffendheid waarmee hulpbronne (ondermeer arbeid), aangewend word. Die vraag na en die aanbod van arbeid word dus beïnvloed deur die produktiewe aanwending van insette, Volgens Ehrenberg en Smith (1996:36) is produktiwiteit egter ook bepalend in terme van die uitset van 'n onderneming en die wyse waarop arbeid en kapitaal in die produksieproses gekombineer word. Ekonomiese ontwikkeling behels dus veranderinge in die struktuur van indiensname en betekenisvolle toenames in produktiwiteit. Die prestasies van die ekonomie word beïnvloed deur stygende produktiwiteitsvlakke en 'n styging in reële lone. Die welvaart van individue of 'n gemeenskap kan slegs verhoog word indien produktiwiteit betekenisvol verhoog. Die determinante van produktiwiteit (die verwantskap tussen reële uitset en die hoeveelheid insette wat aangewend word om die uitset te produseer), is egter veelvuldig en veelsoortig. Prokopenko (1987:4) voer aan dat "the essence of productivity improvement is working more intelligently, not harder". Die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking is 'n heterogene gemeenskap bestaande uit verskeie groeperinge met hul eie persepsies rakende politieke, ekonomiese, sosiale en arbeidsaangeleenthede, met die gevolg dat daar wyduiteenlopende opinies met betrekking tot produktiwiteit en die belangrikheid daarvan bestaan. So byvoorbeeld ervaar werknemers oor die algemeen produktiwiteit as negatief. Dit is egter noodsaaklik dat al die rolspelers in die ekonomie besef dat verhoogde produktiwiteit 'n belangrike bron van reële ekonomiese groei, sosiale vooruitgang en verhoogde lewenstandaarde is. In Hoofstuk 3 word die Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) makro-ekonomiese strategie van die regering en die produktiwiteitsimplikasies van die strategie ondersoek. Dit is duidelik dat produktiwiteitsvlakke betekenisvol moet verhoog indien die regering die gestelde doelwitte wil bereik. Produktiwiteit word ook beïnvloed deur arbeidsverhoudinge. Die strewe na minimum werkloosheid en die doeltreffende aanwending van menslike hulpbronne maak die arbeidsmark dus 'n sentrale fokus van die pogings om die algehele werking van die ekonomie te verbeter. Aangesien arbeid 'n komponent in enige produksieproses is, is arbeid en arbeidsverhoudinge 'n belangrike aspek in die studie rondom produktiwiteit en produktiwiteitsverhoging. Positiewe verhoudinge in die werkplek sal werknemers motiveer om hul werk op die mees doeltreffende en effektiewe wyse af te hande!. Dit lei tot verhoogde produktiwiteit. Die verhoudinge tussen werkgewers en werknemers word grootliks gereguleer deur arbeidswetgewing. Arbeidswetgewing het dus 'n direkte invloed op al die partye in die arbeidsmark en gevolglik ook op die werking van die arbeidsmark. In Hoofstuk 5 word aandag geskenk aan die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge van 1995, die Wet op Basiese Diensvoorwaardes van 1997 en die Wet op Gelyke indiensname van 1998. Deur middel van die wetgewing poog die regering om 'n wetlike raamwerk vir samewerking tussen werkgewers, werknemers en die regering daar te stel ten einde Suid¬-Afrikaanse ondernemings en nywerhede se internasionale mededingende posisie in stand te hou, en ekonomiese ontwikkeling, maatskaplike geregtigheid, arbeidsvrede en die demokratisering van die werkplek te bevorder. Indien produktiwiteitsvlakke nie verhoog word nie sal die lewenstandaard van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing deurlopend daal en werkloosheid toeneem. Ten einde die groeipotensiaal van die ekonomie te verhoog moet produksiemiddele doeltreffend benut en besparing en die investeringsgeneigdheid verhoog word. / Dissertation (M Com (Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Economics / unrestricted

V teoretické části tato práce analyzuje současnou ekonomickou literaturu o efektech PZI. Dále identifikuje hlavní příčiny a řešení Evropského trhu práce. ?Flexicurity? aplikována skandinávskými zeměmi nabízí dostatek flexibility podnikatelům, ale zároveň poskytuje záchrannou síť pro ty, kteří si neumí pomoci sami. Velké regionální rozdíly jsou způsobeny centralizací ekonomických aktivit okolo hlavního města, nevhodnou strukturou pracovní síly, chybějícími regionálními centry ale také nevůlí pracovat. V praktické části užitím panelových dat z let 1997 až 2004 v českém průmyslu, tato práce podává důkaz o efektech PZI na trh práce v hostitelské zemi. V důsledku efektu přelévaní, nadnárodní společnosti zvyšují mzdy a produktivitu v domácích firmách. Hypotéza o zvyšování produktivity prostřednictvím substituce práce kapitálem byla zamítnuta. Produktivita práce rostla rychleji než mzdy a proto nezpůsobila nárůst nezaměstnanosti. Nadnárodní společnosti pomáhaly vytvářet efektivní pracovní příležitosti, realokovat zdroje od méně k více produktivním a tímto zvyšovat zaměstnanost. Vytváření pracovních míst zahraničními firmami bylo v průměru doprovázeno destrukcí jedné třetiny těchto míst v domácích firmách. Efekt protahování se liší v čase a mezi sektory. Porovnáním domácích a zahraničních firem se zjistilo, že nadnárodní společnosti vyrábějí s rostoucími externími výnosy z rozsahu, zatím co domácí firmy, produkují s klesajícími externími, ale rostoucími interními výnosy z rozsahu.

A frequent question in academic and non-academic research is how particular systems are formed, maintained, and potentially, changed. This dissertation explores the question above through the intersection between political economy and public policy, specifically on accumulation: how economic and social relations come to be, endure, adapt, or fail. This is reflected in a slew of theories, paradigms, and research programmes, yet most utilize a macro or meso lens and rarely look at ‘micro’ level phenomena and processes – those involving everyday interactions and people. At this level, a significant, yet absent, component is the way individuals may come to automatically think and act through receiving information conveyed in ways that promote internalization or automaticity. The ongoing question, then, is what regimes communicate and how they do so. I will examine the role of active labour market policy (ALMP) in sustaining contemporary accumulation trajectories in Canada by analyzing what it communicates to policy recipients in terms of how they should conceive of themselves as workers, their expectations of the market, and of the state. However, what public policy communicates does not, in and of itself, explain how people come to internalize particular ways of thinking and acting. As such, I combine policy analysis with cognitive psychology to examine what ‘everyday’ public policy components – such as websites, forms, and job search systems - communicate, and crucially, whether they do so in a way which is conducive to ‘automatic thought’ (e.g. ‘common sense’). / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This dissertation explores how public policy can shape how individuals automatically think and act, thereby informing their ‘common sense’ and rational thoughts. I will examines what Canadian active labour market policy (ALMP) communicates to policy recipients in terms of how they should conceive of themselves as workers, their expectations of the market, and of the state. I combine policy analysis with mechanisms derived from cognitive psychology to examine what ‘everyday’ public policy components – such as websites, forms, and job search systems - communicate, and crucially, whether they do so in a way which is conducive to ‘automatic thought’ (e.g. ‘common sense’). This approach fills in gaps political psychology, public policy, and the political economy of regimes.

The high level of inequality in South Africa remains one of the biggest problems facing the country. Inequality is not limited to income and can be found in infrastructure, health and education as part of the heritage of apartheid. Polarisation is related to inequality with increases in high- and low-earning jobs, while middle-earning jobs remain stagnant or even decline. This study will try to identify polarisation in the South African labour market since the end of apartheid by making use of the Post-Apartheid Labour Market Series that uses a compilation of Statistics South Africa data ranging from 1994 to 2012. The study finds some evidence of polarisation of employment and earnings in South Africa and the growth of the tertiary sector and the public sector in the country has meant gains in the middle of the distribution for people with a Grade 12 education. Relatively strong unions and the introduction of minimum wages have helped those at the bottom to catch up with the middle. / MCom (Economics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The high level of inequality in South Africa remains one of the biggest problems facing the country. Inequality is not limited to income and can be found in infrastructure, health and education as part of the heritage of apartheid. Polarisation is related to inequality with increases in high- and low-earning jobs, while middle-earning jobs remain stagnant or even decline. This study will try to identify polarisation in the South African labour market since the end of apartheid by making use of the Post-Apartheid Labour Market Series that uses a compilation of Statistics South Africa data ranging from 1994 to 2012. The study finds some evidence of polarisation of employment and earnings in South Africa and the growth of the tertiary sector and the public sector in the country has meant gains in the middle of the distribution for people with a Grade 12 education. Relatively strong unions and the introduction of minimum wages have helped those at the bottom to catch up with the middle. / MCom (Economics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015