Essays on Labor Markets in Two African Economies

Essays on Labor Markets in Two African Economies PDF Author: Andrew Lebugoi Dabalen
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Essays on Labor Markets in Two African Economies

Essays on Labor Markets in Two African Economies PDF Author: Andrew Lebugoi Dabalen
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description


The Informal Economy in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Informal Economy in Sub-Saharan Africa PDF Author: Leandro Medina
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1484309030
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 31

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Book Description
The multiple indicator-multiple cause (MIMIC) method is a well-established tool for measuring informal economic activity. However, it has been criticized because GDP is used both as a cause and indicator variable. To address this issue, this paper applies for the first time the light intensity approach (instead of GDP). It also uses the Predictive Mean Matching (PMM) method to estimate the size of the informal economy for Sub-Saharan African countries over 24 years. Results suggest that informal economy in Sub-Saharan Africa remains among the largest in the world, although this share has been very gradually declining. It also finds significant heterogeneity, with informality ranging from a low of 20 to 25 percent in Mauritius, South Africa and Namibia to a high of 50 to 65 percent in Benin, Tanzania and Nigeria.

Essays on Labor Markets in Developing Countries

Essays on Labor Markets in Developing Countries PDF Author: Norihiko Matsuda
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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My dissertation consists of three chapters. The first chapter examines social networks in labor markets. While existing theories such as models of screening and peer effects imply that social networks improve job match quality, these theories do not well explain the stylized fact, which we call negative selection---workers and employers with lower socio-economic status use social networks more frequently. By proposing an equilibrium search model, we show that social networks create mismatched jobs in the context where negative selection occurs. Our model sheds light on a neglected aspect of social networks: they help to match, but not necessarily with good-match partners. In the presence of search frictions, workers and firms can be tempted by bad-match encounters through social networks. This temptation is stronger for less productive, poorer workers and firms because costly formal channels are less rewarding for them. Using linked employer-employee data in Bangladesh, we find that matching through social networks rather than formal channels results in mismatches. This chapter demonstrates that while social networks compensate for search frictions in formal labor markets by matching more workers and jobs, their match quality is low. The second chapter evaluates the effects of social security benefits on labor supply. The benefits can reduce labor supply through two channels: current benefits and expectations over future benefits. I develop a framework to jointly estimate both channels and apply it to the South African pension program, which lowered the male eligible age in 2008 to 2010. I find the anticipatory effect of future benefits to be considerable: it accounts for nearly 60 percent of the labor force contraction caused by the lowering of the eligible age. Moreover, the framework identifies binding liquidity constraints faced by nearly-age-eligible people. The third chapter examines spillover effects of the South African Old-Age Pension Program on employment choices of recipients' children. By exploiting quasi-experimental variations in eligibility, the empirical results show that prime-age children leave the labor force if their fathers receive pension benefits. I find suggestive evidence that they leave the labor force to receive education and training. I also find suggestive evidence that the benefits allow prime-age individuals to look for jobs for longer duration. These findings imply that the program does not discourage work but help prime-age individuals move to more productive jobs.

Urban Labor Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa

Urban Labor Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa PDF Author: Philippe De Vreyer
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 9780821397817
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 460

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Book Description
Although labor is usually the unique asset upon which poor people can make a living, little is known about the functioning of labor markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this volume is to contribute to the building of knowledge in this area. In this book, the authors use a unique set of identical and simultaneous labor force surveys conducted in seven capitals of Western Africa, as well as in some other African countries (Cameroon, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo) in the 2000s. They present innovative and original results on how people are faring in these labour markets, using up-to-date econometric and statistical methods. Because so little is known about labor markets in the region, each chapter starts with detailed descriptive statistics that aim to shed light onto specific aspects of African urban labor markets. Comparisons between the ten cities are systematically carried out. Descriptive sections are followed by in-depth analyses on various issues. The book is divided into four parts that examine 13 topics. Part I presents the main stylised facts, which are investigated further in a more analytical way throughout the volume. Part II focuses on job quality and labor market conditions, such as unemployment and underemployment, vulnerability, and job satisfaction. Part III explores the many dimensions of labor market inequalities through various lenses, such as returns on education, segmentation, life-cycle inequality (with a particular focus on old age), inter-generational mobility, time related inequality, and gender and ethnic earnings discrimination. Part IV addresses some key coping mechanisms and private responses, with a focus on migration and child labor. The book concludes with recommendations for future research.

Moving for Prosperity

Moving for Prosperity PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464812829
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 407

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Book Description
Migration presents a stark policy dilemma. Research repeatedly confirms that migrants, their families back home, and the countries that welcome them experience large economic and social gains. Easing immigration restrictions is one of the most effective tools for ending poverty and sharing prosperity across the globe. Yet, we see widespread opposition in destination countries, where migrants are depicted as the primary cause of many of their economic problems, from high unemployment to declining social services. Moving for Prosperity: Global Migration and Labor Markets addresses this dilemma. In addition to providing comprehensive data and empirical analysis of migration patterns and their impact, the report argues for a series of policies that work with, rather than against, labor market forces. Policy makers should aim to ease short-run dislocations and adjustment costs so that the substantial long-term benefits are shared more evenly. Only then can we avoid draconian migration restrictions that will hurt everybody. Moving for Prosperity aims to inform and stimulate policy debate, facilitate further research, and identify prominent knowledge gaps. It demonstrates why existing income gaps, demographic differences, and rapidly declining transportation costs mean that global mobility will continue to be a key feature of our lives for generations to come. Its audience includes anyone interested in one of the most controversial policy debates of our time.

Youth in Africa's Labor Market

Youth in Africa's Labor Market PDF Author: Marito H. Garcia
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 0821368850
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 330

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Book Description
The authors examine the challenges facing Africa's youth in their transition from school to working life, and propose a policy framework for meeting these challenges. Topics covered include the effect of education on employment and income, broadening employment opportunities, and enhancing youth capabilities. The book includes a CD-ROM of case studies of four countries and household data on 13 countries.

Essays on Fiscal Policy, Monetary Policy and Currency Unions

Essays on Fiscal Policy, Monetary Policy and Currency Unions PDF Author: Mahama Abdel Samir Sidbéwendé Bandaogo
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Economic policy
Languages : en
Pages : 107

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Book Description
In this dissertation I study how economic activity outside of government control --informality-- impacts policy-making in a small open economy. I also study the impact of labor mobility in a currency union on the welfare of the union. Chapter 1 is concerned with the impact of informality on the Ramsey optimal fiscal and monetary policy. In particular, I ask: how does economic activity outside of government control affect the conduct of fiscal and monetary policy? I study this question in a New Keynesian, small open economy model. The model is assumed to feature informality in both goods and labor markets. A non-traded sector produces a non-taxed informal good. The traded sector produces a formal good and is subject to taxation, but it can hire workers using both formal and informal contracts. I show that the presence of informality decreases the optimal tax rate and increases macroeconomic volatility. Moreover, when the country cannot credibly precommit to the optimal policy, informality significantly increases the incentive to peg the currency. This result can help explain why many sub-Saharan African countries have plans to either expand existing currency unions or to form new ones. In Chapter 1 I also investigate the impact of the informal sector on fiscal policy: the tax rate levied by the government in the formal sector and the amount of public debt. With the steady state of the theoretical model described above, I show that the presence of informality decreases the optimal tax rate and increases the level of public debt. Using a panel data of developing countries, I empirically document the negative relationship between the size of the informal sector on the tax rate and its positive relationship with public debt. Chapter 2 is concerned with how migration within a currency union affects welfare across the union. In particular, I study this question in this paper with a New Keynesian currency union model. The union consists of two countries whose economies are characterized by labor market frictions. One country member has a higher job-finding rate and a lower unemployment rate compared to the other country, hence unemployed agents in the latter have an incentive to relocate to the former. I show that when firms have the ability to hire workers from abroad and when unemployed agents can relocate to a different country, the negative impact of asymmetric shocks is significantly reduced, improving welfare across the union on average.

Good Jobs, Bad Jobs, No Jobs

Good Jobs, Bad Jobs, No Jobs PDF Author: Tony Avirgan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 524

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Africa's Future, Africa's Challenge

Africa's Future, Africa's Challenge PDF Author: Marito H. Garcia
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 0821368877
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 558

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Book Description
Early childhood, from birth through school entry, was largely invisible worldwide as a policy concern for much of the twentieth century. Children, in the eyes of most countries, were 'appendages' of their parents or simply embedded in the larger family structure. The child did not emerge as a separate social entity until school age (typically six or seven). 'Africa's Future, Africa's Challenge: Early Childhood Care and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa' focuses on the 130 million children south of the Sahel in this 0-6 age group. This book, the first of its kind, presents a balanced collection of articles written by African and non-African authors ranging from field practitioners to academicians and from members of government organizations to those of nongovernmental and local organizations. 'Africa's Future, Africa's Challenge' compiles the latest data and viewpoints on the state of Sub-Saharan Africa's children. Topics covered include the rationale for investing in young children, policy trends in early childhood development (ECD), historical perspectives of ECD in Sub-Saharan Africa including indigenous approaches, new threats from HIV/AIDS, and the importance of fathers in children's lives. The book also addresses policy development and ECD implementation issues; presents the ECD programming experience in several countries, highlighting best practices and challenges; and evaluates the impact of ECD programs in a number of countries.

The Global Informal Workforce

The Global Informal Workforce PDF Author: International Monetary Fund
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1513575910
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 414

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Book Description
The Global Informal Workforce is a fresh look at the informal economy around the world and its impact on the macroeconomy. The book covers interactions between the informal economy, labor and product markets, gender equality, fiscal institutions and outcomes, social protection, and financial inclusion. Informality is a widespread and persistent phenomenon that affects how fast economies can grow, develop, and provide decent economic opportunities for their populations. The COVID-19 pandemic has helped to uncover the vulnerabilities of the informal workforce.