Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Economics, December 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-69).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

This thesis presents three essays, which each address a salient recent pattern in the British labour market. The first essay concerns whether or not men and women experience the business cycle differently, through their labour market outcomes, and why this might be the case. The second essay seeks to explain the cyclical amplification of unemployment duration, in particular the substantial and persistent increase in UK long-term unemployment observed during and since the Great Recession. The final essay studies recent changes in British wage inequality. To shed light on the possible factors driving these changes, it asks simply whether they are mostly determined by increasing or decreasing wage dispersion within or between firms. Gender and the business cycle: an analysis of labour markets in the US and UK Starting from an improved understanding of the relationship between gender labour market stocks and the business cycle, we analyse the contributing role of flows in the US and UK. Focusing on the post-2008 recession period, the subsequent greater rise in male unemployment can mostly be explained by a less cyclical response of flows between employment and unemployment for women, especially the entry into unemployment. Across gender and country, the inactivity rate is generally not sensitive to the state of the economy. However, a flows based analysis reveals a greater importance of the participation margin over the cycle. Changes in the rates of flow between unemployment and inactivity can each account for around 0.8-1.1 percentage points of the rise in US male and female unemployment rates during the latest downturn. For the UK, although the participation flow to unemployment similarly contributed to the increase of the female unemployment rate, this was not the case for men. The countercyclical flow rate from inactivity to employment was also more significant for women, especially in the US, where it accounted for approximately all of the fall in employment, compared with only forty percent for men. Long-term unemployment and the Great Recession: evidence from UK stocks and flows Although modest by historical standards, long-term unemployment nonetheless more than doubled during the UK’s Great Recession. Only a small fraction of this persistent increase can be accounted for by the changing composition of unemployment across personal and work history characteristics. Through extending a well-known stocks-flows decomposition of labour market fluctuations, the cyclical behaviour of participation flows can account for over two-thirds of the high level of long-term unemployment following the financial crisis, especially the procyclical flow from unemployment to inactivity. The pattern of these flows and their changing composition suggest a general shift in the labour force attachment of the unemployed during the downturn. Recent changes in British wage inequality: evidence from firms and occupations Using a linked employer-employee dataset, we study the increasing trend in British wage inequality over the past two decades. The dispersion of wages within firms accounts for the majority of changes to wage variance. Approximately all of the contribution to inequality dynamics from firm-specific factors are absorbed by controlling for the changing occupational content of wages. The modest trend in between-firm wage inequality is explained by a combination of changes in between-occupation inequality and the occupational composition of firms and employment. These results are robust to using weekly, hourly or annual measures of employee pay.

O desemprego é um dos principais problemas enfrentados pelas economias capitalistas. Analisando a sua incidência sobre a força de trabalho, há evidências que alguns grupos de trabalhadores - como as mulheres, os jovens, os negros - sofrem sistematicamente com taxas de desemprego mais elevadas. Neste contexto, o objetivo desta dissertação é analisar a relação entre o desemprego e a heterogeneidade dos trabalhadores e como ela se apresentou no Brasil no período entre 1990 a 2013. A principal hipótese deste trabalho é de que as diferenças existentes entre os trabalhadores - como gênero, raça, idade, entre outras - também podem ser responsáveis, em interação com outros determinantes macroeconômicos, por níveis e dinâmicas diferenciadas de desemprego. A metodologia dessa pesquisa consiste em uma revisão bibliográfica de quatro abordagens macroeconômicas do desemprego e o modo como elas tratam a heterogeneidade da força de trabalho, além do uso de métodos quantitativos com base em dados sobre a economia brasileira. Com base na revisão bibliográfica e nos dados da economia brasileira, é utilizado um modelo econométrico de vetores de correção de erros (VECM) para verificar algumas hipóteses do desemprego e a sua relação com a heterogeneidade. Os resultados do trabalho indicam que, apesar das dificuldades nas teorias do desemprego em inserir a heterogeneidade dos trabalhadores em seus arcabouços teóricos, as visões marxista e pós-keynesiana oferecem importantes instrumentos teóricos e metodológicos para esse tipo de problema. Além disso, os resultados econométricos confirmam, parcialmente, que a demanda efetiva, seguindo a hipótese pós-keynesiana, e o conflito distributivo entre lucros e salários, argumento marxista, são fatores importantes para compreender o desemprego no Brasil. No que diz respeito à relação entre a heterogeneidade e o desemprego, os resultados apontam que um choque na taxa de desemprego incide de forma diferenciada entre os grupos que compõem a força de trabalho. Contudo, nem sempre o desemprego atinge de forma mais intensa os grupos que apresentam historicamente as maiores taxas de desocupação. / Unemployment is one of the main problems faced by capitalist economies. By analyzing its impact on the workforce, the research shows that there are evidences that some groups of workers – such as women, young people, blacks - systematically suffer from higher unemployment rates. In this context, the objective of this work is to analyze the relationship between unemployment and the heterogeneity of workers and how this relationship appears in Brazil from 1990 to 2013. The main hypothesis of this work is that the differences between the workers - such as gender, race, age, among others - may also be responsible, in interaction with other macroeconomic determinants, for the level and the dynamic of the different unemployment rates. The methodology of this research consists of a literature review of four macroeconomic approaches of the unemployment and how they treat the heterogeneity of the workforce, and also the use of quantitative methods using data for the Brazilian economy. Based on the bibliographic review and on the data of the Brazilian economy, an econometric model is used for vector error correction (VEC) to test some hypotheses regarding unemployment and its relationship with the heterogeneity. The results indicate that, despite the difficulties with the theories of unemployment regarding the heterogeneity of workers in their frameworks, the marxist and post keynesian theories provide important theoretical and methodological tools for this type of problem. In addition, the econometric results confirm, in part, that the effective demand, following the post keynesian hypothesis, and the distributive conflict between profits and wages, in terms of the marxist argument, are important factors to understand the unemployment in Brazil. Concerning the relationship between heterogeneity and unemployment, the results indicate that a shock in the unemployment rate has different impacts on the groups that make up the workforce. However, unemployment is not always more intense on the groups that historically have the highest rates of unemployment.

O desemprego é um dos principais problemas enfrentados pelas economias capitalistas. Analisando a sua incidência sobre a força de trabalho, há evidências que alguns grupos de trabalhadores - como as mulheres, os jovens, os negros - sofrem sistematicamente com taxas de desemprego mais elevadas. Neste contexto, o objetivo desta dissertação é analisar a relação entre o desemprego e a heterogeneidade dos trabalhadores e como ela se apresentou no Brasil no período entre 1990 a 2013. A principal hipótese deste trabalho é de que as diferenças existentes entre os trabalhadores - como gênero, raça, idade, entre outras - também podem ser responsáveis, em interação com outros determinantes macroeconômicos, por níveis e dinâmicas diferenciadas de desemprego. A metodologia dessa pesquisa consiste em uma revisão bibliográfica de quatro abordagens macroeconômicas do desemprego e o modo como elas tratam a heterogeneidade da força de trabalho, além do uso de métodos quantitativos com base em dados sobre a economia brasileira. Com base na revisão bibliográfica e nos dados da economia brasileira, é utilizado um modelo econométrico de vetores de correção de erros (VECM) para verificar algumas hipóteses do desemprego e a sua relação com a heterogeneidade. Os resultados do trabalho indicam que, apesar das dificuldades nas teorias do desemprego em inserir a heterogeneidade dos trabalhadores em seus arcabouços teóricos, as visões marxista e pós-keynesiana oferecem importantes instrumentos teóricos e metodológicos para esse tipo de problema. Além disso, os resultados econométricos confirmam, parcialmente, que a demanda efetiva, seguindo a hipótese pós-keynesiana, e o conflito distributivo entre lucros e salários, argumento marxista, são fatores importantes para compreender o desemprego no Brasil. No que diz respeito à relação entre a heterogeneidade e o desemprego, os resultados apontam que um choque na taxa de desemprego incide de forma diferenciada entre os grupos que compõem a força de trabalho. Contudo, nem sempre o desemprego atinge de forma mais intensa os grupos que apresentam historicamente as maiores taxas de desocupação. / Unemployment is one of the main problems faced by capitalist economies. By analyzing its impact on the workforce, the research shows that there are evidences that some groups of workers – such as women, young people, blacks - systematically suffer from higher unemployment rates. In this context, the objective of this work is to analyze the relationship between unemployment and the heterogeneity of workers and how this relationship appears in Brazil from 1990 to 2013. The main hypothesis of this work is that the differences between the workers - such as gender, race, age, among others - may also be responsible, in interaction with other macroeconomic determinants, for the level and the dynamic of the different unemployment rates. The methodology of this research consists of a literature review of four macroeconomic approaches of the unemployment and how they treat the heterogeneity of the workforce, and also the use of quantitative methods using data for the Brazilian economy. Based on the bibliographic review and on the data of the Brazilian economy, an econometric model is used for vector error correction (VEC) to test some hypotheses regarding unemployment and its relationship with the heterogeneity. The results indicate that, despite the difficulties with the theories of unemployment regarding the heterogeneity of workers in their frameworks, the marxist and post keynesian theories provide important theoretical and methodological tools for this type of problem. In addition, the econometric results confirm, in part, that the effective demand, following the post keynesian hypothesis, and the distributive conflict between profits and wages, in terms of the marxist argument, are important factors to understand the unemployment in Brazil. Concerning the relationship between heterogeneity and unemployment, the results indicate that a shock in the unemployment rate has different impacts on the groups that make up the workforce. However, unemployment is not always more intense on the groups that historically have the highest rates of unemployment.

O desemprego é um dos principais problemas enfrentados pelas economias capitalistas. Analisando a sua incidência sobre a força de trabalho, há evidências que alguns grupos de trabalhadores - como as mulheres, os jovens, os negros - sofrem sistematicamente com taxas de desemprego mais elevadas. Neste contexto, o objetivo desta dissertação é analisar a relação entre o desemprego e a heterogeneidade dos trabalhadores e como ela se apresentou no Brasil no período entre 1990 a 2013. A principal hipótese deste trabalho é de que as diferenças existentes entre os trabalhadores - como gênero, raça, idade, entre outras - também podem ser responsáveis, em interação com outros determinantes macroeconômicos, por níveis e dinâmicas diferenciadas de desemprego. A metodologia dessa pesquisa consiste em uma revisão bibliográfica de quatro abordagens macroeconômicas do desemprego e o modo como elas tratam a heterogeneidade da força de trabalho, além do uso de métodos quantitativos com base em dados sobre a economia brasileira. Com base na revisão bibliográfica e nos dados da economia brasileira, é utilizado um modelo econométrico de vetores de correção de erros (VECM) para verificar algumas hipóteses do desemprego e a sua relação com a heterogeneidade. Os resultados do trabalho indicam que, apesar das dificuldades nas teorias do desemprego em inserir a heterogeneidade dos trabalhadores em seus arcabouços teóricos, as visões marxista e pós-keynesiana oferecem importantes instrumentos teóricos e metodológicos para esse tipo de problema. Além disso, os resultados econométricos confirmam, parcialmente, que a demanda efetiva, seguindo a hipótese pós-keynesiana, e o conflito distributivo entre lucros e salários, argumento marxista, são fatores importantes para compreender o desemprego no Brasil. No que diz respeito à relação entre a heterogeneidade e o desemprego, os resultados apontam que um choque na taxa de desemprego incide de forma diferenciada entre os grupos que compõem a força de trabalho. Contudo, nem sempre o desemprego atinge de forma mais intensa os grupos que apresentam historicamente as maiores taxas de desocupação. / Unemployment is one of the main problems faced by capitalist economies. By analyzing its impact on the workforce, the research shows that there are evidences that some groups of workers – such as women, young people, blacks - systematically suffer from higher unemployment rates. In this context, the objective of this work is to analyze the relationship between unemployment and the heterogeneity of workers and how this relationship appears in Brazil from 1990 to 2013. The main hypothesis of this work is that the differences between the workers - such as gender, race, age, among others - may also be responsible, in interaction with other macroeconomic determinants, for the level and the dynamic of the different unemployment rates. The methodology of this research consists of a literature review of four macroeconomic approaches of the unemployment and how they treat the heterogeneity of the workforce, and also the use of quantitative methods using data for the Brazilian economy. Based on the bibliographic review and on the data of the Brazilian economy, an econometric model is used for vector error correction (VEC) to test some hypotheses regarding unemployment and its relationship with the heterogeneity. The results indicate that, despite the difficulties with the theories of unemployment regarding the heterogeneity of workers in their frameworks, the marxist and post keynesian theories provide important theoretical and methodological tools for this type of problem. In addition, the econometric results confirm, in part, that the effective demand, following the post keynesian hypothesis, and the distributive conflict between profits and wages, in terms of the marxist argument, are important factors to understand the unemployment in Brazil. Concerning the relationship between heterogeneity and unemployment, the results indicate that a shock in the unemployment rate has different impacts on the groups that make up the workforce. However, unemployment is not always more intense on the groups that historically have the highest rates of unemployment.

D.Ed. / Statistics in the media have given a grim picture about unemployment in South Africa. The question was asked about the influence of the father's unemployment on adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 years, who is part of the same family system as the father. Taking into account the important role the family has to fulfil in the development of the adolescent, the researcher wondered to what extent the adolescent's way to adulthood was influenced by the fact that the father and the family was not available to fulfil the role of supporter and caregiver. The father had to deal with his own emotions and feelings and was not available for the adolescent. How did it influence his/her development? The sample criteria were formulated to include adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 years whose fathers lost their jobs and who were unemployed at present (having lost their jobs not longer than three months ago). The criteria also included adolescents who were adversely affected by the existential crisis in the form of the father's unemployment. Phenomenological interviews were conducted to determine the adolescents' experience of the father's unemployment. The results, in short, indicated that three emotions were experienced namely fear, insecurity and anger. It was evident that the adolescents did not apply constructive skills to handle the crisis but merely used strategies to survive every day. These strategies lead to the deterioration of relationships with the self and significant others. Their hopes and perception of the future were also negatively influenced. This lead to the adolescents not experiencing a form of well-being and survival was the only prerogative. The researcher decided to look at the construction of a model to support these adolescents by helping them gain personal insight so that in the end, well-being will be experienced. The development of the model proceeded in four stages. During Stage one, concepts were identified, defined and classified after the completion of the fieldwork. The central concept was defined as ''facilitating interaction': and associated concepts were the educational psychologist, the adolescent, the existential crisis, interpersonal processes to apply to the crisis and the reaching of certain goals. Guba 's model was applied to ensure trustworthiness in the qualitative methodology. This refers to the credibility, transferability, reliability and verification of the research. The relationship between concepts was drawn in Step one, the description of the model followed in Step three and the guidelines in operationalising the model followed in Step four. In this research, Steps three and four were integrated and not discussed separately. The model is aimed at supporting the adolescents by applying facilitative interaction to gain personal insight and thus applying more constructive skills to the handling of psychological processes, which will lead to the well-being of the adolescent where problemsolving skills are an integral part of the process. This is indicative of the improvement in the relationship with the self and significant others. The researcher hopes that these skills will become a /ifeski/1 to be applied to other situations. The main theme of the model is:" Assistance to adolescents whose fathers lost their jobs: an educational psychological model".

This study focuses on young male necessity entrepreneurs based in Soshanguve township. It identifies unemployment as the primary factor that compels young people to seek selfemployment opportunities. The study engages the participants on the challenges they encounter in business ventures and how they overcome them. Of particular importance, is the role of social networks in necessity entrepreneurship. In this regard, evidence suggests that entrepreneurs with strong social networks establish more successful business ventures than entrepreneurs with weak social networks. In light of the challenges that most necessity entrepreneurs encounter, building social networks is a strategy that places their business ventures on a secure footing. / Dissertation (MSocSci)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Sociology / unrestricted

The environment of city planning practice includes increasing unemployment rates in the communities practitioners serve. There should be effects of this; however, there is little discussion in the literature of the relationship between high unemployment and planning. This thesis is an exploratory study of that relationship. It examines the effects of high unemployment on city planning as mediated by the political and fiscal environments. Three levels of planning are considered: strategic, normative, and operational planning. The subjective quality of the workplace is also considered. A preliminary review of the literatures on unemployment, on political participation and its economic antecedents, on planning, and on municipal fiscal stress, was followed by interviews with twenty-two planners, councillors, and administrators of nongovernmental services for the unemployed. The thesis describes the relationship between unemployment and political participation. (Canadian data on magnetic tape which can be used in quantitative work in this area are listed in the Appendix.) The implications of that relationship are then developed for city planning. The effects on planning of unemployment-related municipal fiscal pressure are also explored. A number of hypotheses are generated which take into account contextual effects. These are incorporated into four future scenarios which make different assumptions about the ability of left- and right-of-center governments to reduce the unemployment rate. The thesis concludes with directions for future research and some general issues. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate