Labor In China Research Articles

Why Does the Gender Gap Exist in China's Labor Market after the Economic Transition?

After China's economic reform, the gender gap in China's labor market has emerged and gradually widened, and this issue has also attracted the attention of the Chinese government. This paper introduces the existing gender differences in China's labor market in terms of labor participation rate, occupational attainment, and income. Employing a combination of literature analysis and factor analysis, this study scrutinizes the primary factors contributing to gender disparities, which include but are not limited to human capital theory, gender segregation, gender discrimination, marital dynamics, and gender role expectations. Finally, the essay proposes some solutions for individuals, enterprises, society, and the government to narrow the gender gap in China's labor market to promote the development and progress of society.

Neighborhood social environment and mental health of older adults in China: the mediating role of subjective well-being and the moderating role of green space

IntroductionWith the continuous development of the global aging trend, the mental health of older adults has been a concern by the world. The living space of older adults is limited due to the decline of their activity function. Neighborhood environment, especially the neighborhood social environment, has become an important factor affecting the mental health of older adults. Therefore, this study explores the mechanism that influences the social environment of the neighborhood and the mental health of older adults, the mediating effect of subjective well-being (SWB), and the moderating effect of green space.MethodsBased on the 2018 China Labor Dynamics Survey, this study used the structural equation model to explore the mediating effect of neighborhood social environment (neighborhood ties, social trust, community security) on the mental health of older adults through SWB and the moderating effect of green space.ResultsSocial trust and community security are both directly and positively associated with older adults’ mental health. At the same time, neighborhood ties, social trust, and community security can promote the mental health of older adults by positively affecting SWB, while green space has an enhanced moderating effect between neighborhood ties and mental health.DiscussionThis study enriches the empirical research on neighborhood social environment and mental health. First of all, older adults living in communities with good safety conditions and high social trust are less affected by negative emotions and tend to have good mental health. Second, deeper neighborhood ties, higher social trust, and safer community environments help older adults to be less disturbed by negative situations, have a positive effect on their SWB, and indirectly promote mental health. At the same time, green space can provide a place for older adults to socialize, enhance the positive impact of neighborhood ties on SWB, and further promote the mental health of older adults. Finally, this study suggests that the government and community managers pay attention to the construction of neighborhood social environment and green space, and provide support for “healthy community” and “healthy aging” planning.

The widening gender wage gap in the gig economy in China: the impact of digitalisation

The gig economy, fundamentally relying on the digital economy, is often celebrated for its potential to expand employment opportunities and close gender wage gaps. However, research on its gender impacts in China, the largest developing country with a rapidly expanding gig sector, is notably lacking. Employing discrimination theory, the findings challenge the prevailing optimistic view on the role of the gig economy. Utilising the China Labour Dynamics Survey data from 2014, 2016, and 2018, and applying the Bourguignon, Fournier, and Gurgand model to correct selection bias, this study reveals that, digitalisation has exacerbated gender wage gaps, with the wage growth of female gig workers significantly lagging behind their male counterparts, especially among married and older cohorts. Adopting the Neumark decomposition, the analysis confirms that discrimination largely accounts for this gap. This study uses Generalised Propensity Score Matching as robustness test and concludes with policy recommendations.

Use of the WHO partograph and Zhang’s guideline for labor and delivery in China: implications for clinical practice

BackgroundThere is an unmet need for a large comprehensive population-based dataset documenting national birthing trends in China and a partograph specifically tailored to Chinese women. This study assessed the impact of using the World Health Organization (WHO) partograph or Zhang’s guideline to manage labor and delivery in China and inform the development of a partograph that specifically aligns with the progression of labor in Chinese women.MethodsThis retrospective analysis included low-risk nulliparous women with a singleton, full-term fetus in cephalic presentation entering spontaneous labor at a specialized obstetric hospital in China between January 2010 and June 2022. Pregnant women were managed according to the WHO partograph (January 2010-August 2014, n = 31,286) or Zhang’s guideline (September 2014-June 2022, n = 49,821).ResultsRates of assisted reproduction (4.57% vs. 1.05%; p < 0.0001) and hypertension (7.44% vs. 6.71%; p < 0.0001) were significantly higher for pregnant women managed according to Zhang’s guideline compared to the WHO partograph. Rates of labor intervention (35.31% vs. 13.95%; p < 0.0001), including induction of labor by oxytocin, artificial rupture of membranes, lateral episiotomy and conversion to cesarean section (all, p < 0.0001), were significantly higher for pregnant women managed according to the WHO partograph. Rates of forceps assisted vaginal deliveries (12.67% vs. 6.42%; p < 0.0001) and postpartum hemorrhage (10.9% vs. 6.2%; p < 0.0001) were significantly higher, and birth asphyxia (0.15% vs. 0.09%; p = 0.02) was significantly lower, for pregnant women managed according to Zhang’s guideline.ConclusionsThis study provides valuable insights into the utilization of the WHO partograph and Zhang’s guideline in managing labor and delivery among Chinese women. Findings indicate that women managed according to Zhang’s guideline had higher rates of assisted reproduction and hypertension, suggesting a potentially different demographic profile or underlying health conditions compared to women managed according to the WHO partograph. Notably, the use of the WHO partograph was linked to a significant increase in labor interventions, while Zhang’s guideline resulted in higher rates of forceps-assisted vaginal deliveries and postpartum hemorrhage, yet interestingly, a lower incidence of birth asphyxia. These contrasting outcomes underscore the importance of aligning labor management tools with the specific needs and progression of labor in Chinese women. The results advocate for a tailored partograph that could better reflect the unique characteristics of Chinese women and optimize decision making and maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Industrial technological advance and the employment demand for China's labour force-Micro evidence from labour hiring in companies.

Technological advance in industry has complexity, divisibility, systematicity and market selectivity, and companies may generate technological investment expansion and form technological job demand, which may also lead to the occupation of company resources and trigger the replacement of the original jobs. This paper empirically examines the impact of technological advance in industry on the labour employment demand of companies by taking Chinese A-share listed companies as research samples from 2008 to 2022, and finds that: overall technological advance in industry has a suppressive effect on the labour employment demand of companies; The heterogeneity test shows that industrial technological advancement mainly produces inhibitory effects on the labour employment of low-education level employees and production sectors, while it produces incentive effects on the labour employment of high-education level employees and non-production sectors Industrial technological advancement mainly produces job substitution and destructive effects on the labour employment of low-education level employees and production sectors, while it produces incentive effects on the labour employment of high-education level employees and non-production sectors. Mechanism test shows that industrial technological advancement has incentive effects such as technology investment expansion effect and industry chain conduction effect, and also produces inhibitory effects such as enterprise resource occupation effect and employment delay effect. This paper extends the research on the impact of industrial technological advances on the labour employment demand of companies, and provides empirical evidence and policy insights for rationally arranging industrial structural transformation and labour employment decisions of companies in the context of 'stable employment'.

The Incomplete Transmutation of Feeling: Female Platform Drivers' Negotiation and Resistance to Emotional Labour in China's Ride‐Hailing Industry

ABSTRACTThis article contributes to the scholarship of the gig labour process and gendered emotional labour and enriches the theorisation of emotional labour and alienation and Marxist feminist platform studies in transportation platforms. Focusing on Chinese female platform drivers' lived experience, this study conducts Chatnography and ‘chat’ interviews with 40 Chinese female Didi drivers, from November 2020 to June 2022. First, this article highlights how communication technologies and social reproduction processes complicate the emotional disciplinary process in China's ride‐hailing industry. Second, this study unveils the gender logic of emotional labour in China's transportation platforms, such that women's double identities as a platform driver and digital labour are intertwined in the gig labour process, resulting in the unprecedented human costs of gendered and sexualised emotional labour, such as self‐alienation and estrangement. Third, this study argues that the transmutation of emotion is an incomplete, antagonistic, and contradictory process in China's ride‐hailing industry. On the one hand, women worker's consciousness is contextualised in the social reproduction process. Care activities for children create an antagonistic force to combat gendered emotional labour on ride‐hailing platforms. On the other hand, the affordances of communication technologies energise individual and collective resistance to gendered and sexualised emotional labour.

Move out of the land: certification and migration in China

Abstract Motivated by the emphasis on securing property rights as an important tool for the efficient allocation of resources, including land and labour, we use three rounds of China Rural Household Panel Survey data to assess the impact of a land certification programme (LCP) on the labour and land allocation in rural China. We find that the LCP results in increased rural–urban migration, more active land rental markets, as well as higher household income and consumption in rural China. These effects vary with age and are larger for younger individuals and households with heads aged 50 years or younger. Improving property rights could be a central task for the Chinese government to tackle issues related to labour and land misallocation.

Prediction of the Effectiveness of Deferred Retirement in the Labor Market Performance in China

Abstract: The analytical document touching upon the prospects of how delaying retirement affects labor market ability in China reveals some crucial information about the implications of the retirement age policy modifications. This test may indicate that the retirement age raise would be a huge factor in China's labor market status, such as employment level and national pension funds. Apart from this, the paper is a reminder for the authorities to have a broad policy discussion on diverse fiscal consequences that different retirement age policies may cause like wage inflexibility, disposable labor issues, and the aging population. These results demonstrate that the simulation should be considered for its interplay with individuals' lives as well as for the macro economy. To scrutinize the efficacy of postponing retirement within China's employment market performance, it's critical to deploy some economic theories. The first method involves the insights from both the Beveridge curve and job creation curve to dissect the nuances of job turnover rates, opportunities for finding new jobs, and their influence on unemployment figures. Delving deeper into pension fund ramifications necessitates assessing the shift from Defined Contribution (DC) schemes towards Defined Benefit (DB) plans, while also taking stock of how dependency ratios come into play. Moreover, gauging effects on incremental labor productivity alongside capital-to-labor ratio calls for an expansive view that considers changes across various industrial sectors and their broader consequences on the labor market as a whole.

Impact of comparative advantages in origin and destination cities on return migrant workers' entrepreneurship: An induced network analysis

Return migrant workers' entrepreneurial choices hinge on the comparative advantages between their origin and destination cities. However, prior research has predominantly concentrated on the economic environment solely within migrant workers' origin cities, disregarding the dual impact of both origins and destinations on return entrepreneurship. This study aims to elucidate how the comparative advantages between origin and destination cities affect the behavior of return migrant workers' entrepreneurship, focusing on the paired relationships formed by these cities as a result of the emergence of return migrant workers' entrepreneurship. To this end, this study leverages data from the 2018 China Labor Force Dynamics Survey (CLDS) and the 2018 China City Statistical Yearbook, and utilizes the network MRQAP regression and network OLS regression methods. The findings highlight that migrant workers exhibit a stronger propensity to return for entrepreneurship when their origin cities possess greater comparative advantages in terms of economic development, employment status, standard of living, and entrepreneurial environments compared with their destination cities. Additionally, the heightened activity and significance of origin cities relative to destination cities in regard to economic growth rate, medical resources, and enterprise R&D investment correspond to a higher likelihood of migrant workers returning for entrepreneurship. These outcomes inform the development of theories related to population migration, and shed light on the relationship between return migrant workers' entrepreneurial endeavors and the regional disparities in economic development.

Impacts of Indoor Air Quality on Working‐Age Populations' Subjective Well‐Being: Evidence From China Labor Dynamics Survey

ABSTRACTOutdoor air pollution can affect physical labor productivity and mental health, but it remains to be studied how indoor air quality (IAQ) exposure affects working‐age populations' subjective well‐being and physical health. Here, the first evidence of a link between IAQ and the subjective well‐being of working‐age populations has been provided using the dataset from a longitudinal survey in China. Using household ventilation as an instrument variable (IV) of IAQ revealed that IAQ improvements increased working‐age populations' subjective well‐being and life satisfaction by significantly affecting their physical health. Our analysis shows that an increase in IAQ by one standard deviation improves working‐age populations' subjective well‐being by 0.041 standard deviations. The marginal willingness to pay for IAQ is approximately 98.09 CNY. Compared with outdoor air quality, the impact of IAQ on well‐being and life satisfaction is more conspicuous. The results are robust to a variety of alternative specifications. For developing countries, improving IAQ is a new channel toward enhancing life quality, with lower economic and social costs.

The impact of subjective intergenerational mobility on well-being: evidence from China

Although social mobility has been shown to be essential for subjective well-being, empirical evidence on the relationship between subjective intergenerational mobility and well-being in the developing world is relatively limited and needs to be more comprehensive and conclusive. The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of subjective intergenerational mobility on the well-being of Chinese residents. Using data from the China Labor Force Dynamics Survey conducted from 2012 to 2016, the results revealed an upward trend in the subjective intergenerational mobility of Chinese residents. Specifically, subjective intergenerational elasticity increased from 0.264 in the 1950s to 0.390 in the 1980s. Subjective intergenerational mobility positively influences well-being. In particular, it exerts an indirect positive effect on the well-being of Chinese residents through the self-evaluation of health and social inequality. This study also proves that the subjective Great Gatsby Curve exists in China. The practical implications of this research are that the human capital of Chinese residents should be improved and that restrictive institutional systems should be discontinued to improve residents’ subjective social status.

The Impact of Long-Term Security on the Return of Rural Labor Force: Evidence from Rural China

Since the rural revival, the return of the rural labor force has become a trend. Different ways of returning to the rural labor force contain different policy implications. Based on the data of 8209 households in the China Labor Force Dynamic Survey, the probit model was used to explore the impact of long-term security in urban and rural areas on different return ways of the rural labor force. The results show that: (1) 18% of farmers choose to return, of which 3% and 10% choose active return and passive return, respectively, and 10% and 6% choose long-term return and short-term return, respectively. (2) The improvement in urban long-term security will inhibit the return of farmers (including active return and passive return), and the improvement in rural long-term security will promote farmers’ return behavior (including active return, passive return, long-term return, and short-term return). (3) The improvement of rural long-term security will promote the return of the first and second generations of rural households (including active return, passive return, long-term return, and short-term return), and the improvement of urban long-term security will restrain the return of the first generation of rural households (including active returns).

Narrating Trauma as Victims of Human Trafficking in China: A Study on Select North Korean Memoirs

The memoirs titled In Order to Live; A North Korean Girl's Journey, to Freedom and; A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea are written by Yeonmi Park and Eunsun Kim two women who managed to escape from North Korea. They went through an experience of being forced into labour in China as victims of trafficking. In their memoirs these authors vividly depict the pain that comes with being exploited. The main aim of this study is to analyse how memoirs can effectively address the issue of trafficking. These remarkable women skilfully use the memoir genre to make a personal plea for action. They strategically make choices appeal to readers emotions openly share their distressing experiences and support their stories with research and evidence that connect their experiences with the broader problem of human trafficking in China. This study clearly shows that both these memoirs emphasize the importance of the memoir genre in advocating for rights. It also highlights how survivor memoirs have the potential to inspire advocacy and involvement, in combating trafficking.

Can socialised agricultural services balance equity and efficiency? Analysis from the perspective of government-market relationships

ABSTRACT Socialized agricultural services (SASs) are becoming increasingly popular in developing countries to address future farming challenges. In China, there is an ongoing debate in the academic community regarding the equity and efficiency issues arising from whether SASs have a ‘smallholder crowding out’ effect. By using data from the 2018 China Labour Force Dynamics Survey, we first investigate the equity problem of SASs using a Logit model and then analyse the efficiency problem of SASs using the propensity score matching model. Specifically, we examine whether smallholder farmers have equal access to SASs when different entities provide services and whether SASs can effectively increase farmer cultivation returns. We find that smallholder farmers have equal access to SASs and that SASs can significantly improve farmer returns on grain production, meaning SASs can balance efficiency and equity. Furthermore, SASs can enhance the efficiency of land resource allocation by accelerating land transfer, leading to increased returns. These findings indicate that China should accelerate the construction of SAS system, improve relevant rules for the SAS market, and support smallholder farmers in adopting SASs.

Protection of Seafarers' Rights and Interests by International Treaties

In 2006, the ILO adopted the Maritime Labour Convention, which has had an important impact on the rights of seafarers worldwide and the promotion of the international maritime industry. In recent years, China's labor and social security legal system has been gradually improved, and legal norms such as the Regulations on Seafarers and the Maritime Traffic Safety Law have been promulgated and implemented successively, laying a certain foundation for the system of labor norms for seafarers. However, these special legislation has some limitations, such as not strong operability and not identical with the international treaty system. This paper mainly studies the framework structure and implementation mechanism of maritime labor conventions, finds out China's application method of international law, and puts forward the shortcomings of China's implementation process and corresponding countermeasures and suggestions suitable for the current situation of Chinese seafarers. By combining theory with practice, this paper uses literature analysis and analysis deduction to find out the strategies that can optimize the implementation mechanism in China. At present, China has made a lot of preparations for the implementation of maritime labor conventions, carried out a lot of legislative activities, and has already acquired relevant legislative experience and technology. Improving the labor supervision system and making full use of the tripartite mechanism platform and industry associations are the top priorities for China to better implement international conventions and protect the rights and interests of seafarers in the next stage.

Public Health Insurance and Labor Supply of Middle-aged and Elderly People in China

According to cross-sectional data in 2013 wave and 2015 wave of CHARLS, there is research for effects of public health insurance on labor supply of people who are middle-aged and elderly in China by Ordinary Least Square. China is facing severe labor supply problems because of the aging population. Moreover, people who are middle-aged and seniors play a significant role in Chinese labor market. The paper will focus on studying labor participation and the labor hours of middle-aged and older adults. Meanwhile, public health insurance is one of the focuses of this research. Nowadays, there is a significant public health insurance named New Rural Cooperative Medical insurance (NRCMI), which has been implemented for many years. It aims to support the health status of people who are middle-aged and seniors. After a series of calculations and studies, it shows that NRCMI has great effects on labor decisions of people in middle-aged and seniors. NRCMI can improve the labor participation by 11.6 percentage points, and it can also increase the labor hours by 239.343 hours. Therefore, NRCMI has a tremendous impact on China's labour supply, and the government should increase the promotion of NRCMI and ensure the full implementation.

Rural human settlement environment, non-agricultural transfer of labour and arable land abandonment in China

The arable land abandonment caused by the large-scale non-agricultural transfer of labour has attracted substantial attention from all walks of life in China. Promoting improvement in human settlement environment can accelerate the construction of infrastructure, ameliorate grassroots organization and enhance management capacities while simultaneously decelerating agricultural production costs. High level of human settlement environment can also attract the labour force to return, stimulate the vitality of rural elements and endogenous powers. Then, can improving rural human settlement environment alleviate the phenomenon of arable land abandonment caused by non-agricultural labour transfer? In order to answer this question, based on the micro-survey data of 1325 households in 5 provinces of China, this paper uses the Tobit model to empirically test the effects of rural human settlement environment and non-agricultural transfer of labour on arable land abandoned. The results revealed that rural human settlement can alleviate the arable land abandonment caused by non-agricultural transfer of labour to a certain extent. In particular, the improvement of rural human settlement environment that mainly based on the infrastructure construction and organizational management level, has significantly alleviated the arable land abandonment caused by the non-agricultural transfer of labour. Heterogeneity analysis disclosed that, compared with mountainous and hilly areas, the improvement of rural human settlement environment had a more obvious mitigation effect on arable land abandonment in plain areas. Promoting infrastructure construction and strengthening organizational management ability were effective ways to alleviate arable land abandonment in plain areas. Farmer households with high place attachment level were more likely to be attracted by the improvement of rural human settlement environment to return to their hometown, so as to make use of arable land resources. Improving infrastructure, strengthening organizational management level, and promoting cultural and community development were the main measures for farmer households with high place attachment level to reduce arable land abandonment. In addition, there were significant differences in arable land abandonment and its driving factors in different regions. In the central and eastern regions or major grain-producing areas, improving human settlement environment had a significant mitigation effect on arable land abandonment. Therefore, improving the rural human settlement environment according to local conditions, promoting the supportive policy will be inclined to mountainous and hilly areas, enhancing the attractiveness of rural areas, encouraging farmers with high place attachment level to return to their hometowns for employment and entrepreneurship, and accelerating the cultivation of new types of agricultural operators, which will help alleviate the arable land abandonment caused by non-agricultural transfer of labour.

Platformed identities of female migrant domestic Ayi's in the Chinese gig-economy

Focusing on the Chinese context, this investigation addresses how digital labor platforms as specific instances of social media, mediate interactions between workers and clients. This article addresses the evolving landscape of domestic labor in contemporary China, specifically focusing on female internal migrant workers - commonly referred to as “Ayi’s” — in the gig economy. More specifically, by employing a feminist intersectional lens, we analyze the platformization of migrant Ayi’s identities on digital labor platforms and Chinese super-apps like WeChat and Swan Daojia. We also address how these rural-to-urban migrants may use these platforms to create new narratives for themselves. Based on in-depth interviews with 15 female migrant workers alongside a walkthrough study of three digital labor platforms, Ayi’s are found to represent themselves by branding themselves. This form of self-marketing offers the potential to transform their visibility in public from perceived low-skilled laborers to “pre-packaged” professionals. While enhancing visibility, and thereby improving the standing of some, the representational practices of Ayi’s also offer insights into newly emergent forms of vulnerability and marginalization, shaped by gender, migrant status, and socioeconomic class.

The impact of multiple discrimination on labor misallocation of China: Based on fsQCA method.

Discrimination in the labor market hinders efficient labor allocation, impeding socio-economic health. With the rapid population aging in China, addressing multifaceted discrimination to enhance labor allocation efficiency emerges as a crucial area of research. To explore the relationship between five types of discrimination (age, gender, hukou, educational background, and occupation) and labor misallocation, this paper based on intersectionality theory, employs the fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) method to conduct a configurational analysis of data from China. The research findings indicate that none of the five forms of discrimination can be deemed a necessary condition for achieving high-level labor misallocation. The study identifies five distinct pathways of multiple discrimination to form high-level labor misallocation, which can be classified into four interaction modes: age-hukou, gender-hukou, gender-occupation, and age-gender-educational background. Meanwhile, there are four configuration paths for the absence of labor misallocation. This study reveals the intricate mechanisms by which multiple forms of discrimination contribute to labor misallocation in China's labor market, and provides valuable insights for addressing employment discrimination and improving the efficiency of labor allocation.

Multilevel medical insurance mitigate health cost inequality due to air pollution: Evidence from China

BackgroundAir pollution affects residents’ health to varying extents according to differences in socioeconomic status. However, there has been a lack of research on whether air pollution contributes to unfair health costs.MethodsIn this research, data from the China Labour Force Dynamics Survey are matched with data on PM2.5 average concentration and precipitation, and the influence of air pollution on the health expenditures of residents is analysed with econometric methods involving a two-part model, instrument variables and moderating effects.ResultsThe findings reveal that air pollution significantly impacts Chinese residents’ health costs and leads to low-income people face health inequality. Specifcally, the empirical evidence shows that air pollution has no significant influence on the probability of residents’ health costs (β = 0.021, p = 0.770) but that it increases the amount of residents’ total outpatient costs (β = 0.379, p < 0.006), reimbursed outpatient cost (β = 0.453, p < 0.044) and out-of-pocket outpatient cost (β = 0.362, p < 0.048). The heterogeneity analysis of income indicates that low-income people face inequality due to health cost inflation caused by air pollution, their total and out-of-pocket outpatient cost significantly increase with PM2.5 (β = 0.417, p = 0.013; β = 0.491, p = 0.020). Further analysis reveals that social basic medical insurance does not have a remarkable positive moderating effect on the influence of air pollution on individual health inflation (β = 0.021, p = 0.292), but supplementary medical insurance for employees could reduce the effect of air pollution on low-income residents’ reimbursed and out-of-pocket outpatient cost (β=-1.331, p = 0.096; β=-2.211, p = 0.014).ConclusionThe study concludes that air pollution increases the amount of Chinese residents’ outpatient cost and has no significant effect on the incidence of outpatient cost. However, air pollution has more significant impact on the low-income residents than the high-income residents, which indicates that air pollution leads to the inequity of medical cost. Additionally, the supplementary medical insurance reduces the inequity of medical cost caused by air pollution for the low-income employees.