China Labor-force Dynamics Survey Research Articles

Access to Piped Water and Off-Farm Work Participation: Evidence from Rural China

The lack of access to water services for a considerable share of the world population has been challenging the international community for decades. Billions of hours are spent each year on water collection in developing countries. Access to piped water can liberate individuals from the task of collecting water. Based on data from the China Labor-force Dynamic Survey (CLDS), this paper examines the impact of access to piped water on off-farm work participation. We find that access to piped water significantly improves off-farm work participation in rural China. This result remains robust when we use the PSM approach, Lewbel IV method, placebo test, and Dose-Response Model. Anyway, we find that the positive effect of access to piped water on off-farm work participation is greater in rugged areas and women, reflecting the role of access to piped water in promoting inclusive growth. Further research shows that access to piped water increases household income, and off-farm work participation mediates, in part, the link between access to piped water and household income.

Can agricultural mechanization services narrow the income gap in rural China?

This paper examines the impact of agricultural mechanization services (AMS) on rural household income and income gap, utilizing the recentered influence function regression method and publicly available data collected through the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey. The results of this study shed light on various impacts of AMS. First, agricultural mechanization services can significantly increase rural household income, but there is heterogeneity in the impact on rural household income in different quantiles. The effect of income growth on medium-income and low-income groups is greater. Second, agricultural mechanization services help to narrow the income gap between rural households and alleviate income inequality in rural areas. Third, the effect of agricultural mechanization services on reducing the income gap between rural households in the eastern and western regions is significantly stronger than that in the central region. Finally, further analysis based on income source structure reveals that agricultural mechanization services can significantly reduce the non-agricultural income gap of rural households, but the impact on the agricultural income gap is negligible. Our findings highlight the importance of government's efforts in promoting the development of agricultural mechanization service market in order to improve the income inequality in rural areas.

Rising housing prices and marriage delays in China: Evidence from the urban land transaction policy

In recent years, the phenomenon of delayed age at first marriage and declining fertility in China has become increasingly prominent, and high housing prices may be one of the triggers. By exploiting the quasi-natural experiment of the urban land transaction policy (ULTP) since 2002 and using the nationally representative data from the China Labor-force Dynamic Survey (CLDS), we employed a difference-in-differences (DID) method to identify the causal effects of rising housing prices on marriage delays. The results show that rising housing prices from the ULTP significantly delayed the age of first marriage by 0.2280 years old, with males delaying by 0.4372 years old. In addition, we found that rising housing prices raised the cost of first marriage; instead, young people with houses have a younger age at first marriage. Furthermore, the marriage delay effect of rising housing prices is more pronounced for more educated females, males with more siblings, and individuals from large cities. Worse, the effect of delayed marriage caused by rising housing prices further depressed fertility intentions and reduced the actual fertility rate. These findings complemented to the research field on the impact of rising housing prices and provided some insights for refining real estate public policies.

Work trajectories and status attainment process: a study using sequence analysis

Applying sequence analysis methods to work trajectories recorded in the 2012 China Labor Force Dynamics Survey, this study examines the types of work trajectories in China’s urban labor market in three dimensions: employment status, organizational type, and work position. The findings suggest that along with the market transition, China’s urban labor market is experiencing diverse and complex job mobility patterns. This study identifies four types of work trajectories: the merit-based work trajectory, the blue-collar’s work trajectory in the private sector, the blue-collar’s work trajectory in state-owned enterprises, and the self-employed trajectory. These four typical work trajectories have significantly different influences on individuals’ attainment of socioeconomic status and elite status. This study sheds light on the microprocesses in status attainment by examining the role of work trajectories from a longitudinal perspective.

The Impact of Social Insurance on Employment Quality

This paper empirically studies the impact of social insurance on employment quality based on China labor force dynamic survey in 2016. The results indicate that (1) social insurance significantly increases the annual salary of laborers and improves employment quality on the whole; (2) the impact of social insurance on the employment quality of laborers with different levels of education vary significantly, of which companies pass on their social insurance contributions to laborers with junior high school education and below, so social insurance remarkably reduces these people’s annual salary and job satisfaction; (3) social insurance significantly enhances employment quality by greatly improving the health of laborers.

Military Experience and Individual Entrepreneurship—Imprinting Theory Perspective: Empirical Evidence From China

Military experience, as a special early experience exerts a very profound impact on individual decision making. This paper investigates the impact of military experience on male labor force entrepreneurial choices and its underlying mechanisms, using the 2014 to 2016 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey data. It is found that military experience significantly reduces the probability of individual entrepreneurship. The analysis of the influence mechanism shows that military experience inhibits survival entrepreneurship mainly by increasing employment opportunities in state-owned units, increasing the probability of becoming a member of the Communist Party of China(CPC), and accumulating human capital. This paper also finds that the inhibitory effect of military experience on individual entrepreneurship varies across household registration groups and is more significant for laborers with non-agricultural household. This paper not only reveals the impact of the military experience on individual entrepreneurship choices, but also provides empirical evidence for the development of innovation and entrepreneurship policies in emerging economies.

Does Urban Agglomeration Discourage Entrepreneurship in China? Micro-Empirical Evidence from China

As the net effect of agglomeration on entrepreneurship depends on the trade-off between positive and negative effects, urban agglomeration can either promote or discourage entrepreneurial activity in theory. However, there is an unexpected shortage of empirical confirmations on this potential cause-and-effect relationship. Our study strives to fill this empirical gap by providing credible evidence whether agglomeration, measured by the urban density or population, increases the probability of individuals being self-employed. Based on the China Labor-Force Dynamic Survey of 2012, 2014, and 2016, we find that big cities fail to facilitate individuals to start or run their own businesses. Further analyses illustrate that the entrepreneurs in large cities can be easily tempted by a wider range of salaried opportunities and are generally exposed to high fixed costs and intense competition. In contrast, entrepreneurship in large cities is of high reward. These results serve as direct evidence of the co-existence of agglomeration diseconomies and economies. This also suggests the direction of government policy in large cities, which is to alleviate, as much as possible, the negative impact on entrepreneurs.

Impact of off-farm employment on cooking fuel choices: Implications for rural-urban transformation in advancing sustainable energy transformation

Off-farm employment is a prominent manifestation of rural-urban transformation in developing countries, and it theoretically plays a critical role in rural sustainable energy transformation. Exploiting the nationally representative household-level panel data from the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS), this study employs a multi-dimensional fixed-effects (MDFE) model, an inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) technique and a propensity score matching (PSM) approach to investigate the impact of off-farm employment on cooking fuel choices. The results show that off-farm employment exerts a positive and significant impact on the probability of adopting clean fuels for cooking, with specific reductions in biomass and coal and increases in electricity and gas. Furthermore, this effect is mainly realized by reducing the amount of available labor, the number of family meals, and increasing kitchen equipment purchases. However, the relationship between off-farm employment and cooking fuel choices varies considerably across the region, village and household groups. Off-farm employment mainly benefits the eastern, central and western regions of China, villages in plain areas, with brick-concrete houses and ethnic Han Chinese, households with children or the elderly, with poor health and more females, while it is less beneficial for others. The study highlights the important policy implications of rural-urban transition for sustainable energy transition through the creation of off-farm jobs.

The Impacts of Urban Environments on Community Trust of the Low-Income Group: A Case Study for the Pearl River Delta Region

Under the burgeoning development of urbanization in China, the low-income groups have received attention recently. By applying a linear regression model and utilizing the date from the 2016 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey, this study has explored the effects of urban environments on the community trust in low-income groups, paying particular attention to the difference between local residents and migrants in the Pearl River Delta (PRD). The empirical findings suggest the following: (1) community trust in low-income groups is influenced by social environment dimension, urban space dimension, and sociodemographic characteristics. Specifically, urbanization rate, population density, POl density, land development intensity, social contact, self-rated health, and age have significant effects on the community trust of low-income groups. (2) For local residents, social environment dimension (social contact), urban space dimension (urbanization rate), and sociodemographic characteristics (political status, hukou status, age, and self-rated health) have significant effects on community trust. (3) In the case of migrants, only the sociodemographic characteristics (working in private enterprises or organizations and in agriculture) have a significant impact on community trust. According to the empirical results, the optimization of physical space and social space should consider low-income groups’ needs in livable community planning.

Autonomy or Working Conditions?-Research on Heterogeneity and Influencing Mechanism of Self-Employment on Job Satisfaction in China.

The development of globalization and information technology has been promoting informal work rapidly. In this process, self-employment is gradually becoming an important employment approach. As two of the key variables, self-employment laborers' work autonomy and work conditions are largely discussed as the potential determinants of their work satisfaction. Which of these two factors is actually influencing labors' satisfaction level? So far, relevant studies are insufficient to respond to this question, especially in developing countries. This study investigates the influence of work autonomy and working conditions on self-employed workers' job satisfaction in China. China Labor-force Dynamics Survey data is used to examine the impact of self-employment on workers' job satisfaction and the influence mechanism of work autonomy and working conditions. Propensity score matching and instrumental variable methods were applied to avoid sample selection bias and endogeneity. We found that self-employment has a significant negative effect on job satisfaction; poor working conditions are responsible for self-employed workers' lower satisfaction level, and self-employment behavior impacts job satisfaction differently in terms of the type and gender of self-employed workers. Therefore, stronger social security and better working conditions for the self-employed should be provided.

Entrepreneurial effect of rural return migrants: Evidence from China.

Entrepreneurship is an important means of economic development. Rural migrant workers returning home to start their own businesses can promote employment, alleviate poverty, and achieve rural development structural transformation of rural development. The entrepreneurial effect of rural return migrants is important for rural economic development. Using the data of the China Labor Force Dynamics Survey (CLDS thereafter) 2018 and China Household Finance Survey (CHFS thereafter) 2019, we analyze the entrepreneurial effects of return migrants upon their return to their hometowns. We construct a career choice model and build a mathematical model based on it to formulate the hypothesis. Then, we use the Probit regression model to test the hypothesis empirically. Results find that the rural return migrants can promote entrepreneurship among residents. Land circulation, human capital, and physical capital are stimulating factors in promoting the rural entrepreneurial activities of return migrants. We recommend that the government actively guide the rural return migrants to start businesses and provide security for entrepreneurial activities by upgrading various entrepreneurial elements.

Differences in Subjective Well-Being between Formal and Informal Workers in Urban China.

This paper examines the relationship between different types of employment and subjective well-being with a focus on informal employment. The China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS) for three selected years (2012, 2014 and 2016) shows an upward trend in the subjective well-being of urban workers in the 2010s. However, although the gap in subjective well-being between formal and informal workers narrowed, informal workers' subjective well-being was still lower than their formal counterparts. Factors affecting the subjective well-being of formal and informal workers and their different effects were revealed to explain this difference. The subjective well-being of informal workers is significantly related to their informal status of employment, economic conditions (such as income and working hours), human capital, social capital (such as perceived social justice and perceived community connectedness) and urban environment. The paper enhances the understanding of people's subjective well-being by differentiating informal/formal segments of working populations.

Does female off-farm employment affect fertility desire? Evidence from rural China

PurposeOff-farm employment is an important factor associated with fertility transition in many developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of female off-farm employment on their fertility desire in rural China.Design/methodology/approachBased on the data from the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey, the authors adopt an instrumental variable approach to address the endogeneity issue. Desired number of children and desire for a second child are used to measure fertility desire.FindingsThe results show that off-farm employment participation significantly reduces women's desired number of children and the likelihood of their desire for a second child. Moreover, off-farm employment reduces women's fertility desire mainly through pathways including the weakening of son preference and a decrease in job autonomy, rather than the changes in leisure hours. Further evidence suggests that social health insurance plays an important role in moderating the adverse relationship between off-farm employment and the desire for a second child. The fertility-reducing effects are more pronounced among younger women, among those participating in off-farm wage employment and among families with only wives' participation in the off-farm labor market.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the existing research by investigating the causal impact of off-farm employment on fertility desire in a rural developing context and the possible underlying mechanisms responsible for this relationship. This study provides important insights on this topic in developing countries and may have important implications for theory and practice.

Short- and Long-Term Effects of Underemployment on Workers' Health: Empirical Analysis from the China Labor Force Dynamics Survey.

Underemployment is a global problem. This study aimed to assess the short- and long-term effects of underemployment (hidden unemployment) on workers' health, using data from the China Labor-force Dynamic Survey (CLDS) 2016 and 2014. Indicators reflecting workers' self-rated health, mental health, prevalence of illness over time, and employment status were analyzed using logit regression models, propensity score matching methods, and instrumental variable methods. Empirical analyses showed that: (1) In the short-term, the impact on health is multidimensional, with underemployment significantly associated with a decline in workers' self-rated health, an increase in the propensity for depression, and an increase in the prevalence of illness over a certain period of time. (2) In the long-term, the experience of underemployment two years in the past is associated with a current decline in workers' mental health. That is, the negative effects of underemployment on workers' mental health persist and do not disappear rapidly over time. The results demonstrated that underemployment is detrimental to workers' health in the short- and long-term. In the context of epidemic prevention and control, the government and society should focus on this expanding group, establish labor protection mechanisms, and reduce the multiple effects of underemployment on workers' health.

Social Mobility and Firms’ Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from China

The key to achieving sustainable growth is to increase total factor productivity. What role does the openness of social structure play in promoting total factor productivity? Based on data from the China Labor-force Dynamic Survey (CLDS), we used the methodology of intergenerational order correlation to measure city-level absolute mobility and to examine the impact of social mobility on the total factor productivity of Chinese manufacturing firms. The results show that the following: (1) Higher social mobility has a significant positive impact on firms’ TFP. Our results still hold after using the instrumental variables strategy to mitigate the endogeneity problem and performing a series of robustness tests. (2) Heterogeneity tests show that the positive effect on total factor productivity is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and technology-intensive enterprises. Meanwhile, a higher level of marketization reduces the sensitivity of enterprises’ TFP to social mobility. (3) Three identified channels are human capital allocation, fairness perception, and technological innovation. Our findings inspire the government to promote the system and mechanism reform of social flow and improve sustainable development ability.

Impact of clean energy use on the subjective health of household members: Empirical evidence from rural China

For global sustainable development, clean energy and excellent health are critical challenges. Cooking with clean energy may play an important role in the health of household members. Multi-layer data of “individual-household-village” was created based on the 2016 China Labor Force Dynamics Survey. The Probit model was used in this study to investigate the effects of clean energy cooking on the subjective health of rural household members. Compared to families that did not cook using clean energy, the results indicated that members living in the household adopting clean cooking energy were 3.5% more likely to be healthy than those living in the household not adopting clean cooking energy. The positive effect on subjective health of using clean energy for cooking was more significant in men than in women, and had a more favorable impact on the elderly and children than on members of the labor force. These findings can aid in implementing energy policies to improve population health and attain global sustainable development goals.

Impact of farmland property rights security on public security in rural areas of China

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to the literature by investigating the effects of farmland property rights on public security using the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey data. The results indicate that farmland property rights positively impact public security. This study uses the instrumental variable to solve the endogenous problem. Based on the results, farmland property rights have a positive and significant effect on public security due to the reduction of land acquisition conflicts and social poverty. Hence, this research suggests that the protection of farmland property rights plays a crucial role in ensuring the harmonious development of rural society.

Urbanization Construction, Economic Growth and Residents’ Happiness in Jiangsu Province

Under the background of common prosperity, the development of new urbanization should take urban agglomeration as the main body and residents’ happiness as the guide, and build a people-oriented urbanization structure system. Based on the China City Statistical Yearbook and China Labor-force Dynamics Survey data, this paper investigates the impact mechanism of the development of new urbanization and the economic status of residents on residents’ happiness. The results show that urbanization and residents’ economic status can promote residents’ happiness, and large cities have a greater sense of belonging, while the residents who live in medium-sized urban areas have insufficient happiness. Given the research results, the process of urbanization development, Jiangsu should build a rational urban scale and coordinate regional economic growth.

Three Rights Separation reform and its impact over farm’s productivity: A case study of China

In recent years, China introduced the new “Three Rights Separation” land reforms which has fostered the agricultural productivity in the country. Using data from China Labour Force Dynamics Survey (CLDS), the current study aims to examine the impact of the “Three Rights Separation” of contracted land on agricultural productivity in China. The PSM method is primarily used for impact evaluation. The estimated results show that the farms' management rights registration and certification, and the three rights significantly increased the agricultural productivity and income. However, the impact effect caused by uncoordinated policy mechanisms and relatively slow application of right recognition did not significantly increase farmers’ agricultural production income. Having access to formal financial institutions and specializing in the production of crops directly correlated with a positive marginal effect on agricultural production and household’s income.

Does labor transfer affect rural household cooking fuel choice? Examining the role of income.

It's the direction of all humankind's joint efforts to develop clean cooking fuels and reduce carbon emissions vigorously. While most studies found that householder and family characteristics influence household cooking fuel choice, few studies focus on the relationship between labor transfer and the choice of clean cooking fuels. Based on the three-phase survey data of the China Labor-Force Dynamic Survey in 2012, 2014, and 2016, this paper analyzes the influence of labor transfer on rural households' cooking fuel choice. It focuses on the mediating role of income and the heterogeneity of labor transfer on household cooking fuel choice under different educational levels and location conditions. The results show that (1) from 2012 to 2016, there are regional differences in the development of clean cooking fuels; (2) labor transfer can promote households to choose clean cooking fuels, and this result remains robust after controlling for endogeneity; (3) labor transfer indirectly influences household cooking fuel choice through affecting family income; and (4) the impact of labor transfer on household cooking fuel choice varies with different education levels and location conditions. Therefore, analyzing the optimization of rural cooking energy structure from the perspective of labor transfer plays an important role in ensuring the sustainable development of clean cooking fuels in rural areas.