[go: up one dir, main page]
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/wii/rpaper/rr332.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Employment Developments in Central and Eastern Europe

Author

Listed:
Abstract
The present study examines the evolution of employment and labour market trends in the new EU member states (NMS), the accession countries (ACs) and the countries of Southeastern Europe (SEE) over the past decade and a half. It focuses on selected labour market indicators and compares them with developments in the EU-15. The main findings of the study are presented by country groups In the NMS and the two ACs Bulgaria and Romania, job creation remains low despite high economic growth in most countries. Hence, the employment elasticity of output growth is rather low, but varying by country. In most countries employment and activity rates declined significantly over the transition period up to the early 2000s and started to increase moderately thereafter. In general, the transition period was characterized by a de industrialization and de agrarianization process, while the services sector – market services in particular – became the main employer. Some countries, however, emerged as industrial locations, with manufacturing employment resuming growth recently. The extent of this recovery differed from country to country. Overall, new job creation in services and manufacturing has compensated for job destruction in other activities at least in some of the NMS in the past few years. In most countries the growth of unemployment has come to a halt but structural features have remained unchanged or even deteriorated. Long-term unemployment has become a serious problem in all NMS and the ACs. It has reached much higher levels than in the old EU and continues to rise in the majority of countries. Youth unemployment is particularly high in the Slovak Republic and in Poland. The labour markets in Southeast Europe (SEE) differ substantially from those in the NMS due to the delayed start of the transition, large informal sector activities, traditionally high labour migration (including brain drain) and the already high level of unemployment at the outset of transition. Employment rates are generally on the decline except in Croatia and low compared to European standards. The employment structure shows a picture diverging from that in the NMS and the EU 15, with a continued emphasis on agricultural employment, absorbing workers laid off in other sectors or providing subsistence activity due to the low job creation in the formal sector. A common feature of all countries in the region is the sharp contraction of industrial employment, reflecting the slow recovery of industry after the strong contraction in the 1990s. The services sector is underdeveloped as compared with the NMS and the EU-15. But, taking into account the large informal sector that concentrates traditionally on services sector activities (together with agriculture and construction), the information obtained from official figures seems to underestimate the actual size of that sector. Unemployment in SEE started from a much higher level than in the NMS and is now ranging between 21% in Serbia and 39% in Kosovo – Croatia being the only exception, with comparatively low and declining unemployment, at about 13%. The problem of long-term unemployment is even more severe in SEE than in the other transition countries and the proportion of those who are affected is by far higher.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Landesmann & Hermine Vidovic, 2006. "Employment Developments in Central and Eastern Europe," wiiw Research Reports 332, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    • Handle: RePEc:wii:rpaper:rr:332
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://wiiw.ac.at/employment-developments-in-central-and-eastern-europe-dlp-404.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mario Holzner & Sandor Richter & Robert Stehrer & Tamás Szemlér & Waltraut Urban, 2005. "Monthly Report No. 8-9/2005," wiiw Monthly Reports 2005-08-09, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    2. Buddelmeyer, Hielke & Mourre, Gilles & Ward-Warmedinger, Melanie E., 2004. "Recent Developments in Part-Time Work in EU-15 Countries: Trends and Policy," IZA Discussion Papers 1415, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Vodopivec, Milan, 1999. "Does the Slovenian Public Work Program Increase Participants' Chances to Find a Job?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 113-130, March.
    4. Lubyova, Martina & van Ours, Jan C., 1999. "Effects of Active Labor Market Programs on the Transition Rate from Unemployment into Regular Jobs in the Slovak Republic," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 90-112, March.
    5. Lauerová, Jana Stefanová & Terrell, Katherine, 2002. "Explaining Gender Differences in Unemployment with Micro Data on Flows in Post-Communist Economies," IZA Discussion Papers 600, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Edward P. Lazear, 1990. "Job Security Provisions and Employment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 105(3), pages 699-726.
    7. Stephen Nickell, 1997. "Unemployment and Labor Market Rigidities: Europe versus North America," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 55-74, Summer.
    8. Michael Landesmann & Hermine Vidovic & Terry Ward, 2004. "Economic Restructuring and Labour Market Developments in the New EU Member States," wiiw Research Reports 312, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    9. Sandrine Cazes & Alena Nesporova, 2004. "Labour markets in transition: balancing flexibility and security in Central and Eastern Europe," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 91(5), pages 23-54.
    10. Vasily Astrov & Serkan Çiçek & Rumen Dobrinsky & Vladimir Gligorov & Doris Hanzl-Weiss & Peter Havlik & Mario Holzner & Gabor Hunya & Sebastian Leitner & Isilda Mara & Olga Pindyuk & Leon Podkaminer &, 2015. "Monthly Report No. 7-8/2015," wiiw Monthly Reports 2015-07-08, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    11. Michael Landesmann, 2000. "Structural Change in the Transition Economies, 1989 to 1999," wiiw Research Reports 269, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    12. Fazekas, Károly, 2005. "Transition of the Hungarian Labour Market: Age, Skill and Regional Differences," Discussion Paper 241, Center for Intergenerational Studies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    13. van Ours, J.C. & Lubyova, M., 1999. "Effects of active labour market programmes on the transition rate from unemployment into regular jobs in the Slovak Republic," Other publications TiSEM 742d0ca3-611a-4b55-a8c4-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    14. Vodopivec, Milan & Worgotter, Andreas & Raju, Dhushyanth, 2003. "Unemployment benefit systems in Central and Eastern Europe : a review of the 1990s," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 26307, The World Bank.
    15. Vladimir Gligorov & Mario Holzner & Leon Podkaminer, 2011. "Monthly Report No. 8-9/2011," wiiw Monthly Reports 2011-08-09, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    16. Edward Christie & Rostislav Kapelyushnikov & Andrei Kuznetsov & Waltraut Urban, 2010. "Monthly Report No. 2/2010," wiiw Monthly Reports 2010-02, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    17. Ham, John C & Svejnar, Jan & Terrell, Katherine, 1998. "Unemployment and the Social Safety Net during Transitions to a Market Economy: Evidence from the Czech and Slovak Republics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(5), pages 1117-1142, December.
    18. Randolph Luca Bruno, 2006. "Optimal speed of transition with a shrinking labour force and under uncertainty," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 14(1), pages 69-100, March.
    19. Jackman, Richard & Pauna, Catalin, 1997. "Labour market policy and the reallocation of labour across sectors," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 2047, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Radmila Dragutinovic Mitrovic & Milena Jovičić, 2006. "Macroeconomic Analysis of Causes and Effects of Remittances: A Panel Model of the SEE Countries and a Case Study of Serbia," wiiw Balkan Observatory Working Papers 63, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    21. Kornai Janos, 1994. "Transformational Recession: The Main Causes," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 39-63, August.
    22. David Lipton & Jeffrey D. Sachs, 1990. "Creating a Market Economy in Eastern Europe: The Case of Poland," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 21(1), pages 75-148.
    23. Brada, Josef C & King, Arthur E, 1992. "Is There a J-Curve for the Economic Transition from Socialism to Capitalism?," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 37-53.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Metka Stare & Andreja Jaklič, 2011. "Towards Explaining Growth of Private and Public services in the Emerging Market Economies," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 13(30), pages 581-598, June.
    2. Renat Butabaev, 2015. "There is no growth without change - policy implications for transition economies," Montenegrin Journal of Economics, Economic Laboratory for Transition Research (ELIT), vol. 11(1), pages 69-84.
    3. Vladimir Gligorov & Anna Iara & Michael Landesmann & Robert Stehrer & Hermine Vidovic, 2008. "Western Balkan Countries: Adjustment Capacity to External Shocks, with a Focus on Labour Markets," wiiw Research Reports 352, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    4. Alessia Lo Turco & Aleksandra Parteka, 2009. "Empirical investigation on labour market interactions in an enlarged Europe," Bank i Kredyt, Narodowy Bank Polski, vol. 40(1), pages 87-105.
    5. Peter Havlik & Sebastian Leitner & Robert Stehrer, 2008. "Growth Resurgence, Productivity Catching-up and Labour Demand in CEECs," wiiw Statistical Reports 3, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mária Lackó, 2004. "Tax Rates and Corruption: Labour-market and Fiscal Effects. Empirical cross-country comparisons on OECD and transition countries," wiiw Research Reports 309, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    2. Bukowski, Maciej & Lewandowski, Piotr & Koloch, Grzegorz & Baranowska, Anna & Magda, Iga & Szydlowski, Arkadiusz & Bober, Magda & Bieliński, Jacek & Zawistowski, Julian & Sarzalska, Malgorzata, 2008. "Employment in Poland 2007: Security on flexible labour market," MPRA Paper 14284, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Jan J. Rutkowski & Stefano Scarpetta, 2005. "Enhancing Job Opportunities : Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7408.
    4. Milan Vodopivec, 2004. "Income Support for the Unemployed : Issues and Options," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 14922.
    5. Vodopivec, Milan & Raju, Dhushyanth, 2002. "Income support systems for the unemployed : issues and options," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 25529, The World Bank.
    6. Lizal, Lubomir & Kocenda, Evzen, 2001. "State of corruption in transition: case of the Czech Republic," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 2(2), pages 138-160, June.
    7. Ichiro Iwasaki & Taku Suzuki, 2016. "Radicalism Versus Gradualism: An Analytical Survey Of The Transition Strategy Debate," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 807-834, September.
    8. Betcherman, Gordon & Olivas, Karina & Dar, Amit, 2004. "Impacts of active labor market programs : new evidence from evaluations with particular attention to developing and transition countries," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 29142, The World Bank.
    9. Vladimir Gligorov & Anna Iara & Michael Landesmann & Robert Stehrer & Hermine Vidovic, 2008. "Western Balkan Countries: Adjustment Capacity to External Shocks, with a Focus on Labour Markets," wiiw Research Reports 352, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    10. Alan A. Bevan & Saul Estrin, 2000. "The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Transition Economies," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 342, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    11. Bouev Maxim & Matveenko Vladimir & Vostroknutova Ekaterina, 1998. "Transformational Decline and Preconditions of Growth in Russia," EERC Working Paper Series 98-03e, EERC Research Network, Russia and CIS.
    12. Núria Rodríguez-Planas & Jacob Benus, 2007. "Evaluating Active Labor Markets in Romania," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 699.07, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC).
    13. Kuddo, Arvo, 2009. "Labor laws in Eastern European and Central Asian countries : minimum norms and practices," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 51698, The World Bank.
    14. Martin Raiser, 1993. "Old habits die hard," Intereconomics: Review of European Economic Policy, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics;Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), vol. 28(4), pages 170-177, July.
    15. Tatiana Karabchuk, 2016. "The subjective well-being of women in Europe: children, work and employment protection legislation," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 15(2), pages 219-245, November.
    16. Dennis Wesselbaum, 2014. "Firing tax vs severance payments – an unequal comparison," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 41(5), pages 721-736, September.
    17. Almeida, Rita & Carneiro, Pedro, 2006. "Enforcement of Regulation, Informal Labour, Firm Size and Firm Performance," CEPR Discussion Papers 5976, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    18. Almeida, Rita K. & Carneiro, Pedro, 2005. "Enforcement of Regulation, Informal Labor and Firm Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 1759, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. Horst Feldmann, 2005. "Labour Market Institutions and Labour Market Performance in Transition Countries," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(1), pages 47-82.
    20. Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski & Przemysław Włodarczyk, 2012. "Wpływ prawnej ochrony zatrudnienia na rynek pracy w warunkach negatywnego szoku ekonomicznego," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 11-12, pages 1-23.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    labour market; Central; East and Southeast Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J40 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - General
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wii:rpaper:rr:332. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Customer service (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/wiiwwat.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.