Labor Productivity Research Articles

Productivity effects of agroecological practices in Africa: insights from a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Scholars have proposed agroecology as a promising method for promoting sustainable and socially just agricultural production systems. However, the extent to which agroecological practices will generate the yields required to ensure sufficient food globally remains unclear. This notion is particularly true in the context of Africa, where agricultural productivity is low but levels of hunger and malnutrition are high. To address this knowledge gap, this article undertakes a systematic review of empirical studies to assess the overall status of agroecology-related research in Africa. Using descriptive and meta-analytical methods, we evaluate empirical evidence on the effect of agroecological practices on land and labour productivity. Our analysis of 501 peer-reviewed articles reveals that the body of agroecology-related literature in Africa has been growing in the past 10 years from approximately 10 to more than 70 studies per annum before and after 2014, respectively, with a strong focus on East Africa, particularly Kenya. The majority of the reviewed studies relate to but do not mention agroecology in the title or abstract. Thus, solely relying on studies that use the term may introduce bias and overlook valuable research contributions to the field. The meta-analysis could identify 39 agronomic studies with 392 observations in which agroecological practices were compared to monocrop systems (defined as plots where similar plants grow alongside each other simultaneously and sequentially from one season to the next) with or without inputs as the control groups. The meta-analysis indicates that agroecological practices are associated with a positive and significant difference in land productivity, compared to that for monocrop systems especially so when monocrops are grown without inputs. However, the size and direction of yield differs by practice, crop, climatic factor, soil property and type of control.

Vlogging as mediated mobility: Warm Experts 3.0 engaging in peer production and digital labor in the era of short videos

This article investigates the caregiving dynamics in the vlogs of Houniao vloggers on the Chinese short video platform Douyin. This article contextualizes the vlogging practices of these individuals within the sociocultural landscape of contemporary China, suggesting that vlogging acts as a medium for mediated mobility, enabling these vloggers to assume the role of ‘warm experts’. This study analyzes 50 tutorial videos produced by Chinese Houniao vloggers, revealing three interconnected themes: (1) the presence of digital care labor in the peer production of vlogs, (2) the necessity of relational labor to facilitate intragenerational connections, and (3) the complexities of managing visibility in an environment governed by platform algorithms. These findings depict Houniao vloggers as ‘ Warm Experts 3.0’, highlighting the potential of digital platforms to support active aging and promote inclusive societal engagement. Central to their role as warm experts, peer production emerges as a fundamental characteristic, underpinning the collaborative and community-focused nature of their digital interactions. Future research should explore the application of this prompted model across diverse communities, spanning both online and offline contexts.

Enhancing Building Information Modeling Effectiveness Through Coopetition and the Industrial Internet of Things

The construction industry plays a crucial role in the global economy but faces significant challenges, including inefficiencies, high costs, and environmental impacts. Although Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been widely adopted as a solution to these issues, its practical impact remains limited. This study investigates how manufacturers can enhance their contributions to improve BIM’s effectiveness, proposing that coopetition practices—combining competition and cooperation—can positively influence these contributions, thereby enhancing the benefits of BIM. To explore this hypothesis, an Experimental Coopetition Network was implemented in the Portuguese ornamental stone (POS) sector, utilizing Industrial IoT technology to facilitate collaboration among selected companies. The study assessed the impact of coopetition practices on key performance indicators related to BIM, including on-time delivery, labor productivity, and CO2 emissions. The findings demonstrate significant improvements in scheduling, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability, validating the hypothesis that coopetition practices can enhance manufacturers’ contributions to BIM. These results suggest that coopetition practices contribute to better project outcomes, increased competitiveness, and sustainability within the construction industry. Despite the promising results, the study acknowledges limitations such as the scope of the sample size and observation periods, indicating areas for future research. This research contributes to the theoretical framework of coopetition, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and provides valuable insights for industry practitioners and policymakers seeking to implement more sustainable construction practices.

Breathing in pollution, breathing out efficiency: how does air pollution affect labour productivity in China’s service sector?

ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of air pollution on labour productivity in the service industry in China. Utilizing the Chinese National Tax Survey Database and the contemporaneous air pollution data for 2007–2016, we employ an instrumental variable method and find that the average labour productivity for service firms decreases by 2.11% for every 1ug/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration. The influence is more pronounced among producer services firms, non-state-owned firms, small-scale firms, and firms located in less environmentally regulated regions, northern regions, central and western regions, and coastal regions. The detrimental effect of air pollution increases as air quality worsens. Additionally, a 1ug/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration leads to a significant 2.83% increase in overall labour costs, which squeezes out firms’ capital investment and distorts their factor structure. This paper contributes to the literature by providing new evidence on adverse impact of air pollution on labour productivity in the service sector.

The Influence of Digital Economic Growth and Productive Work Force Toward Human Development Index in Indonesia Viewed from a Maqashid Sharia Perspective

Introduction: Community productivity is critical in maintaining quality of life to avoid disasters. The use of digital technology in the economic aspect has also provided opportunities for people far from the market to earn income to meet their living needs. Objective: The research problem is formulated as follows: What is the influence of digital economic growth and productive labor on the Human Development Index in Indonesia in 2018-2022, both partially and simultaneously, and how is this viewed from a maqasid syariah perspective?Method: This research is presented as five-year time series data and analyzed using quantitative descriptive methods and multiple linear regression analysis, using Eviews 10 as an analytical tool. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling, with sample criteria in the form of digital economic growth, productive workforce, and data during the 2018-2022 period. Result: The digital economic growth variable partially has a negative and insignificant effect on the Human Development Index. Meanwhile, the productive labor variable positively and significantly affects the Human Development Index. Simultaneously, the growth of the digital economy and productive workforce has had a positive and significant effect on the Human Development Index in Indonesia in 2018-2022. From a maqasid syariah perspective, digital economic activities are permitted if no arguments prohibit them. Implication: This research provides valuable insights that can influence how we view and approach digital economic growth and productive labor in Indonesia's human development context. By considering these impacts, various parties can optimize their strategies to advance people's quality of life more effectively.

Naming and dividing: the production of residual labour in the region of Doñana

AbstractThrough a case study of the production of agricultural wage labour in southwestern Spain, in the region of Doñana, this articles analyses the process of constructing agricultural wage labour as a residual social relation. Through analysis of the deployment of labour in agro-industrial berry production, I trace the ways in which the notions of “temporariness” and “slave work” obscure the centrality of labour in the agricultural production process and conceal the reconfiguration of relations of exploitation.

Analysis of Industrial Performance Indicators Effects On Enhance The Competitiveness of The Food Sector and The Possibility Of Support in The Iraqi Economy (2003-2020)

This study was aimed on analyze the competitiveness of the food industry sector, and showed the level of industrial and competitive performance of these industries, and the possibility of supporting and enhancing their competitiveness in the Iraqi economy for the period 2003-2020. Competitiveness is considered one of the most important indicators of the efficiency of the food industry tool in local and foreign markets, as competitiveness represents the ability of productive sectors of different types to distribute their products and increase their sales level. Therefore, the food industry in Iraq is considered one of the most important sectors of the manufacturing industries that suffer from problems and obstacles including a decrease in the level of competitive and industrial performance. It is believed that the problem of the research is the weak competitiveness of the food industry in Iraq due to the decline in the quality of manufactured products and the weak level of competitiveness of these products compared to imported products. The results of the study showed a decrease and fluctuation in the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) in Iraq. The economic policy was not providing the possibility of an investment climate to support and enhance the private sector in industrial investment. The indicators of production requirements such as labor productivity, worker productivity, and the value added index of the food industries sector began to fluctuate between decrease and increase, and to measure the extent of the reciprocal effects between all parts of the standard model and the extent of its contribution to developing the competitive capacity of this sector.

Income convergence clubs in the Eurozone: a tale beyond the core/periphery divide

Purpose This paper aims to examine income convergence among the Euro members from 1995 to 2021. Design/methodology/approach This study uses Phillips and Sul’s test (2007, 2009) extended by Lyncker and Thoennessen’s (2017) algorithm jointly with β and σ – convergence analysis and a traditional growth equation. Findings This analysis identifies three clubs of countries in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita with notable disparities between and within them, which implies that the theory of optimal currency areas has not been fulfilled. Originality/value These results rule out the core/periphery divide as presented in the literature to date. Finally, by estimating an endogenous economic growth model, this study finds the primary factors underpinning the differences between the three stationary states: labor productivity, physical and human capital, investment and international trade.

The Transitional Dynamics of Debt: Productivity Shocks, Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth

We propose a two-sector endogenous growth model with both public and private production. The government sector produces an output that enters both the utility function and the production function, financed by both taxes and borrowing, such that public expenditure and public finance are independently determined. We impose a homogeneous stylized labour productivity supply shock to country specific simulations, coinciding with hypothetical year 2020, and consider their respective heterogeneous fiscal responses. The simulations depict the transitional dynamics in both developed and less developed economies to the simultaneous labour and policy shocks. Using advanced software applications, explicitly suited to model continuous time mathematics, we simulate closed form solutions to continuous time general equilibria that are defined by a three-dimensional modified golden rule across consumption, capital and debt. The model represents a baseline for analysis of the short to medium term impacts of shocks, both exogenous or policy induced, within a richly defined dynamic general equilibrium. Our methodology extends the ability to analyze transitional dynamics in multidimensional models where hitherto analysis has been confined to the long run equilibria.

The Seasonality of Labour in Ceramic Production and Agriculture in the Ancient Greek Rural World

This article explores the seasonality of labour in ceramic production and its correlation with agricultural tasks, focusing on a Hellenistic kiln site in Sant’Angelo Vecchio, southern Italy, in the hinterland of Metaponto. Through a comprehensive examination of archaeological data and the outcomes of an experimental archaeology project, the study estimates the labour required for various stages of the pottery-making operational sequence. The findings reveal that small-scale rural workshops mainly produced limited quantities of items primarily for household and agrarian use. Only two or three individuals, working part-time, were needed to manage the various tasks involved, such as raw material collection, transportation, clay preparation, vessel shaping and kiln firing. The findings also demonstrate that the seasonal nature of their pottery work could be fitted within the seasonal rhythms of agricultural activities. This research highlights the interconnectedness of all productive activities in the region; sites and tasks are intricately linked, fostering a flexible and seasonal labour system in both ancient and modern Mediterranean societies.

Exploring Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Precision Agriculture: A Pathway to Improved Efficiency and Economic Outcomes in Crop Production

This review analyzes secondary data from academic databases, research articles, and case studies to explore the role of new technologies for precision agriculture (PA) and investigates the value addition that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) provide to resource use, crop yield, and economic performance. Accordingly, the most of the key applications of AI in PA were related to crop yield prediction, disease detection, and effective water usage. Operating models through AI will analyze much data in real time, thus providing insight into informed decision making by farmers for proactive action against crop challenges like drought or pest attack. Furthermore, IoT devices and remote sensing support continuous monitoring in the delivery of correct data about optimizations of resources with minimal environmental impact. AI-driven robotics further automates all tasks related to planting, harvesting, and pesticide application, improving labor productivity and operational efficiency. This would involve in other issues like implementation costs, data privacy, and general unawareness among farmers of developing areas. Equally important will be ethical issues like ownership of data and loss of jobs. Various case studies in India, China, the United States, and Africa reveal how AI could transform the future of agriculture if integrated into agricultural systems properly to gain higher productivity and sustainability. Improvements in data quality and ethical issues, and increased access by smallholder farmers, will also be part of future research. Eventually, integrating AI with IoT, robotics, and big data analytics could provide high potential to meet global food demand in a sustainable manner.

Role of innovation and human capital in regional economic growth and progress

Since 1999, China’s higher education has experienced significant growth, with the government dramatically increasing college enrollment rates, thereby enhancing the overall quality of education. However, most existing studies have primarily focused on the quantity of education, with little attention having been given to the impact of higher education quality (HEQ) on economic growth. This study aims to explore how higher education quality (HEQ) contributes to regional economic growth through scientific and technological innovation (STI) and human capital accumulation. Using panel data from 31 Chinese provinces from the period 1999 to 2022, panel regression models and instrumental variable methods were employed to analyze both the direct and indirect impacts of higher education quality (HEQ) on economic growth. The results confirm that improving higher education quality (HEQ) is crucial for sustaining China’s economic growth. More specifically, higher education promotes regional economic expansion both directly, by enhancing labor productivity, and indirectly, by facilitating scientific and technological innovation. Furthermore, the study suggests that the balanced distribution of educational resources across regions should be prioritized to support coordinated regional development. This research provides insights for policymakers on how balanced regional economic development can be achieved through educational and technological policies. This work also lays a foundation for future studies.

Labour productivity, its main indicators, forms of manifestation, and ways to improve

The purposes of the article are to study the content of labour productivity, generalise its main indicators, essence of constant trends manifested in the form of an economic law, disclose its forms of manifestation and ways to increase as well as to attract the attention of subjects of these processes to take regulatory measures. The object of the study is labour in the main link of the economy. The subject are political and economic, social and labour relations between participants of the production process regarding the increase in the labour productivity. Its methodological framework covers provisions explaining the nature of the continuity of labour processes based on the labour productivity. Its main sources are considered using the methods of scientific abstraction, comparison, logical, historical, causal, dialectical methods. Among the scientific results is the conclusion about the essence of the economic law of increasing productivity of social labour, about some properties of the forms of its manifestation, number of directions for accelerating the increase and continuity of the labour process. The scientific and practical significance of the article lies in the possible usefulness for the main link of the economy which corrects its own strategies and development programmes of authorities at various levels during the implementation of economic policy as well as of higher educational institutions of the country where economic theory and labour economics are taught.

Digitalisation in European regions: unravelling the impact of relatedness and complexity on digital technology adoption and productivity growth

ABSTRACT Digital technologies are the cornerstone of platform, knowledge, and network economies, driving the interconnectedness, innovation, and efficiency that define these economic models. Consequently, digitalisation has recently become a key policy objective for regional economies. This paper provides empirical evidence on how the adoption of new digital web technologies is shaped by previous regional digital capabilities. The analysis is based upon an economic complexity and relatedness framework using novel data on digital web technologies’ adoption for 278 European NUTS-2 regions between the years 2000 and 2022. Results show that regions tend to adopt new digital web technologies when they already master related digital capabilities. This paper also shows how digital complexity is associated with labour productivity gains at the regional level. Conclusions shed light on how regions adopt digital web technologies and serve as a tool for policymakers.

Role of Financial Development and ICT in Promoting Inclusive Growth in South Asia: Moderating Effects of Governance

The primary purpose of this study is to compute the index for inclusive growth by taking into account the indicators of poverty, income inequality, labor productivity, life expectancy, job creation, and climate. Calculating the index accomplished by the utilization of principal component analysis in order to acquire weights. Further in the study, the influence of financial development, governance, consumption, and economic growth on inclusive growth for selected south Asian economies (Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal) is measured. The data is gathered from the World Development Index (WDI), the World Governance Index (WGI), the Internet Subscriber Database, and the International Monetary Fund Development Database. Due to the fact that the data spans from the year 2000 to the year 2023 and that missing values are interpolated through the use of trend projection, a fully balanced panel data sheet has been generated. Through descriptive statistic and VIF, prerequisite information is gathered to see the robustness of model. When it came time to make a decision on the unit root testing, the cross-sectional dependency test utilized to seek guidance. According to the findings, there is no evidence of cross-sectional dependency, and the first generation of unit root tests utilized. The stationarity results of mixed order of integration and T>N indicate the use of panel ARDL. Additionally, in order to see the influence that governance has on inclusive growth in connection to financial development, the moderator effect of governance also inquired. Based on the findings, it is concluded that regulatory quality is not playing a significant moderator role of the financial development towards inclusive growth in selected economies of south Asia. Drawing the inferences from the results of the study it is suggested that to expand the financial inclusion by supporting the digital financial services particularly in marginalized areas.

The socio-economic burden of migraine: yesterday and today

Migraine is the most frequent and costly type of headache. The analysis of the «cost of the disease» implies an assessment of direct and indirect costs expressed in monetary units. Drastic changes have recently occurred in approaches to the treatment of the disease, in connection with which there are large differences in the structure of the economic burden «yesterday and today». «Yesterday» knowledge about the pathophysiology of migraine was insufficient and various nonspecific agents were used to treat the disease, the antimigrenous effect of which was manifested as an additional one. The relatively low prices of these ineffective drugs for relieving attacks and preventing migraines were accompanied by high indirect costs due to temporary disability of patients, frequent time off from work, decreased labor productivity, family troubles, etc. Therefore, «yesterday»: the indirect costs associated with migraine therapy outweighed the direct costs. «Today» the cost of drugs for the prevention and pathogenetic agents for the relief of migraine attacks has become significantly higher and their costs are the main part of the costs of migraine therapy, However, the effectiveness of new pathogenetic agents for the treatment of migraines helps to reduce indirect costs and improve the quality of life. Awareness of the change in the ratio of direct and indirect costs, as well as the causes of this phenomenon, will increase patient compliance, correctly allocate costs and ultimately save personal and public financial resources.

Work from home, time allocation, and well-being: the impact of lockdowns

AbstractDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of working from home (WFH) skyrocketed as businesses closed and distancing standards were mandated, exposing many workers to a remote work arrangement. This paper studies how WFH relates to worker time allocation and enjoyment, considering gender differences and pandemic phases, using real-time data from the UK Click-and-Drag Diary covering pre-pandemic, lockdown, and post-pandemic periods. Findings show no statistically significant overall relationship to time allocation, but reveal gender disparities: pre-pandemic, WFH involved less paid work and more leisure among women, but during lockdowns, patterns converged. The results also indicate that there were no statistically significant differences in instantaneous enjoyment between WFH and non-WFH male employees. Female WFH employees enjoyed leisure time less than their counterparts pre-pandemic, however this negative correlation vanished during and after the pandemic. The economic implications span labor productivity, gender dynamics in employment, business model adaptation, and work-life balance. These findings could impact corporate policies, human resource strategies, and the design of governmental policies related to the labor market and gender equality.

Automated Assessment of Leadership Style and Professional Values of a Top-Manager and its Compliance with SDGS

Objective: the main objective was to use automated text analysis and assess the leadership styles and professional values of top managers, as well as to study how these parameters can influence the achievement of the SDG "Decent work and Economic growth". Theoretical Framework: The work is based on the idea that the leadership style and intelligence of a top manager determine the trajectory of a company’s development, the psychological working climate, the attitude towards employees, and the decision-making mechanism within and outside the team. Method: The authors used automated psychological text analysis using AI-based chatbots (ChatGPT, Gemini, Gigachat) and a specialized psychological text analysis program (LIWC). These methods were compared with psychological content analysis performed by a person. Results and Discussion: The obtained results showed that automated text analysis can be effectively used to understand the personality of the manager and the features of decision-making on his part in relation to employees and the organization. Research Implications: the approach proposed by the authors will allow for the development of measures to increase labor productivity and create decent jobs, taking into account the personality and values of the top manager, and will serve as a basis for the development of creativity and innovation in the company, thereby contributing to the achievement of the SDGs of “Decent Work and Economic Growth”. Originality/Value: the conducted research confirmed our hypothesis that text analysis allows us to understand important personality traits from the standpoint of intelligence, logic, thinking and speech, using artificial intelligence tools.

Small business in structural shifts in Ukrainian economy during 2012-2022 in the context of solving the problems of economic development

The article is devoted to testing the author’s methodology for assessing the contribution of structural changes (distribution of the employees’ total number between large, medium and small enterprises) to the processes of socio-economic development in Ukraine. For this purpose, the general trends in the dynamics of the scale and efficiency of the sector of Ukrainian non-financial enterprises and the specifics of such trends for enterprises with different scales of economic activity are studied for the retrospective period 2012-2022. Due to the fundamental differences in the factors of economic dynamics, the years of relatively stable political and epidemiological situation are studied separately from the years of significant political, military-political and epidemiological disturbances. Using the additive-multiplicative model of the value added, created by Ukrainian enterprises dependence on the number of employees, the proportions of their distribution among large, medium and small enterprises and labor productivity (value added per capita) and the method of sequential substitutions, the author conducts a factor analysis of the dynamics of value added created by Ukrainian enterprises in the retrospective period. Evidence of significant convergence of the economic efficiency level of small and large enterprises during the retrospective period and the leading role of small enterprises in improving the efficiency of economic activity in Ukraine and ensuring the resilience of the economy to negative external and internal disturbances is obtained.

Working musicians: Labor and creativity in film and television production By Timothy Taylor. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2023. 264 pp.

Working musicians: Labor and creativity in film and television production By Timothy Taylor. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2023. 264 pp.