Jobless or job creating growth?: some preliminary thoughts
OUTPUT TYPE: Conference or seminar papers
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2003
TITLE AUTHOR(S): M.Altman
KEYWORDS: ECONOMIC GROWTH, EMPLOYMENT, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, EMPLOYMENT POLICY, JOB CREATION
Intranet: HSRC Library: shelf number 2294
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/8240
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/8240
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2003
TITLE AUTHOR(S): M.Altman
KEYWORDS: ECONOMIC GROWTH, EMPLOYMENT, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, EMPLOYMENT POLICY, JOB CREATION
Intranet: HSRC Library: shelf number 2294
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/8240
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/8240
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
From a policy perspective, employment depends on both economic growth and the labour-absorption capacity of the economy. Policy must target both of these. Higher growth rates can be achieved through productivity improvements (technology, industry restructuring, improved know-how, etc.) and/or growth in domestic or foreign market demand. Higher growth rates are difficult to achieve, and do not in themselves guarantee labour absorption as we have seen in recent years. This is partly because South African growth has been more reliant on intensive, rather than extensive growth. Moreover, in a distorted market, particularly in the context of the apartheid legacy, extracting more employment per unit of investment and output requires forceful stimulation and market reforms. This paper outlines the experience of employment and unemployment over the past 10 years. It explores thinking about whether SA is on a sustainable job-creating growth path. It reviews whether the trends would support a basic definition of jobless or job creating growth. But the definition of employment is very broad and so the paper then looks at some underlying trends in the quality of work: this helps us to understand whether the employment created contributes to a sustainable dynamic path. The paper concludes with some thoughts about policy implications and policy balance.-
Related Research Outputs:
- Sector strategies for employment creation: construction, social services and food
- The state of employment and unemployment in South Africa
- Leveraging services for growth, employment and equity
- Finding work: employment experiences of South African graduates
- The contribution of manufacturing and services sectors to growth and employment in South Africa
- Exchange rates and employment: the experience of fast-growing economies
- Business process outsourcing in identified financial services sub-sectors: the potential for offshore business flows into South Africa and consequent recommendations for targeted government support
- Mining employment scenarios for South Africa to 2024
- Constructing future growth opportunities: the potential of the civil engineering and construction works sector
- Thoughts on employment typologies
- Employment scenarios to 2024
- Informal employment in South Africa
- Employment scenarios for the public service in South Africa
- Reviewing the question
- Evidence-based employment scenarios
- An employment strategy framework: reducing poverty through scalable job creation
- Monitoring & evaluation framework
- Getting incentives right: the role of wage and employment subsidies and job search assistance programmes in reducing youth unemployment
- Agricultural employment scenarios
- Jobs and the budget: easing poverty and unemployment