Development of a behavioural framework for analyzing employment mobility decisions in island areas: the case of the Aegean Islands, Greece

Abstract

This paper proposes a theoretical framework to model employment mobility in island areas. It aims at identifying the critical factors affecting the decision of the employees to relocate their workplace to an island area, given a possible residential relocation. Emphasis is given to the role of transport and telecommunications systems on the region’s connectivity and accessibility. Discrete choice models are developed, using both observed and latent variables for the workplace relocation decision to the Aegean island area in Greece. Data was collected in the year 2012 from 518 Greek employees. Findings indicate the importance of the role of transport and telecommunications systems for employment mobility in island areas. The estimated choice models identified profiles of the employees who are prone to: a) keep their current workplace; b) relocate their workplace to the island area; c) change occupation after residential relocation. Finally, the sample enumeration method integrates the models’ results across all Greek employees.