Labor Utilization Research Articles

Interrogating Unemployment Amid Growth: Tracking Youth Unemployment in Neo-Liberal Uganda, 1990–2019

The paper interrogates the paradox of persistent youth unemployment amid an upswing of impressive economic growth after Neo-liberal reforms in Uganda. The government of Uganda undertook targeted interventions to ameliorate youth unemployment, which escalated. Why was the growing economy failing to absorb labour? Why were the interventions failing? We argue that the interplay of the skewed neo-liberal and global architecture, decline of traditional labour absorbing sectors, and the debilitating syncretic ‘informal’ sector constrained sustainable youth employment and deflated interventions. The paper opines that Uganda’s neo-liberal capitalism was unique, as it was structured in a way that did not enhance domestic actors and sectors, which would have increased sustainable labour absorption and utilisation. Otherwise, Uganda’s celebratory growth was largely aid-driven and in the controversial and constrained informal sector, limited service ‘enterprises’ and import consumerism, which undermined domestic productivity and employability. Neo-liberalism and the reconstituted state did not align the domestic and global economic structures for meaningful employment. Unemployment spiralled into the socio-political landscape, while youth agency strived for better positioning.

Quantile regression approach for measuring production inefficiency with empirical application to the primary production sector for the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in China

We propose a new method to measure production inefficiency by estimating the target and production technology of individual units using quantile regression. This method not only measures inefficiency in total factor productivity but also inefficiencies in input utilizations. We also propose two methods for decomposing the estimated inefficiency. We apply this proposed method for measuring the inefficiency of primary sector production for the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in China to clarify its usefulness and advantages. We specify the capital stock using the area sown and other inputs to estimate the production function with the restriction of constant returns-to-scale. Results indicate that lower labor inputs make production inefficient, and the inefficiency of labor utilization makes a large contribution to the mean and variance of total inefficiency. We also compare the proposed inefficiency measure to those employing corrected ordinary least squares and data envelopment analysis. The estimated efficiencies obtained are similar to those for existing methods. However, the proposed method provides additional advantages, including information on the inefficiencies in input utilization.

The dynamics of working hours and wages under implicit contracts

AbstractIn this paper, we explore the dynamics of working hours and wages in a model economy where a firm and its workforce are linked to each other by an implicit contract. Specifically, we develop a deterministic and a stochastic framework in which the firm sets its level of labor utilization by considering that workers' earnings tend to adjust in the direction of a fixed level. Without any uncertainty about firm's profitability, we show that the existence and the properties of stationary solutions rely on the factors that usually determine the enforceability of contracts and we demonstrate that wages move countercyclically towards the allocation preferred by the firm. Moreover, we show that adding uncertainty does not overturn the countercyclical pattern of wages but is helpful in explaining their dynamic behavior in response to demand shocks as well as their typical stickiness observed at the macrolevel.

Development of Lever Operated Sugarcane Mother Shoot Cutter for Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative

India has the second highest area under sugarcane cultivation next to Brazil. Sugarcane is cultivated in an area of 4.5 million ha with an average productivity of 79 t/ha. Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) is one of the advanced methods of sugarcane cultivation technique that involves, use of less input like seed sett, water, land, labour and optimum utilization of fertilizers to achieve maximum yield. Removal of mother shoot is one of the main techniques of SSI to get even number of tillers, increase the number of tillers and millable canes per plant. Conventional tool like secateurs, knifes and sickles being used among the sugarcane growers, even after experiencing the less efficiency of tool. In addition, more drudgery is involved, because the agricultural labourers need to bend down and hold the stem to remove the mother shoots in each sugarcane plant. Chances of getting injury to the hands and eyes are more during this operation. Hence, a hand operated tool for removing the mother shoot of sugarcane plants was developed and evaluated in sugarcane crop during 30 to 35 days after transplanting. The tool is manual operated and can be operated in standing posture for a long time. Women labourers can also cuts sugarcane mother shoots easily due to low weight (1.6 kg) of the tool. The tool saves cost and time by 47 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively compared to cutting of mother shoots with sickle. One could cut 1200 shoots/h with the tool. The tool costs Rs. 800/- and cost of operation is Rs.465 per hectare

Assessment of the usage of cloud-based library service in Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Technology (Dr. AIT) Library among Post Graduate Students: A case study

Cloud computing is another marvel in the administrations which are presented over the web. It has changed the method of utilization of the extent of PCs independent of any geographic area. The greatest advantage for associations and organizations that offer Cloud computing, is that it offers administrations in utilizing equipment or programming or foundation of outsider sources. It is exceptionally practical as it saves cost and support. Cloud computing comes in a few distinct structures. To limit the cost and keep away from duplication of assets, framework, programming, equipment, labour utilization of arising innovations an endeavour has additionally been made to outline the regions in libraries where this innovation can be sent to give better library administrations and the efficiency of library staff can be increased.

“Российский экономический барометр”: опыт исследования рыночных реформ в России

The article is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of “The Russian Economic Barometer” – an independent research program being implemented under the auspices of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations. The program was launched in the end of 1991 with the purpose to conduct regular business surveys in order to compensate for the shortage of statistical data revealing changes in the behavior of the Russian industrial enterprises during economic transition. The article describes the distinctive features of REB data base which at present contains over 200 monthly indicators of enterprise performance and changes in the business environment. The main advantages of REB time series consist in the continuity of information gathering throughout a period of 30 years and immutability of the methodology for calculating indicators. The other advantages of REB data base are a short time span from conducting a survey to the data release and availability of indicators that are difficult or impossible to measure by conventional methods such as factors limiting output and investment, capacity and labor utilization rate, managers’ assessments of the current situation of their enterprises and expectations for the nearest future, their views on the overall economic situation and the economic policy of the government. Furthermore the authors outline the stages of the development of the research program, key studies and major achievements as well as current problems and challenges for the future. Special attention is paid to the evolution of the main end users of REB statistical information: from directors of enterprises – survey participants, to whom REB helped to cope with new realities at the early stage of the transition period, and foreign researchers, who experienced shortage of statistical information on developments in the Russian industrial sector – to the public authorities and scientific community of Russia which use REB statistics as a reliable source of independent data supplementing the official statistics. The regularly updated time series of REB indicators and analytical articles are published in the quarterly bulletin “The Russian Economic Barometer” available on the IMEMO website both in Russian https://www.imemo.ru/publications/periodical/reb-quarterly and in English https://www.imemo.ru/publications/periodical/reb-quarterly-eng.

Lockdown policies: A macrodynamic perspective for COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced a global health and economic crisis. The entire world has faced a trade-off between health and recessionary effects. This paper investigates this trade-off according to a macro-dynamic perspective. We set up and simulate a Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium model to analyze the COVID-19 contagion within an economy with endogenous dynamics for the pandemic, variable labor utilization, and four lockdown policies with different degrees of size and duration. There are three main results in this study. First, the model matches rather well with the main European economies’ preliminary stylized facts during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, a temporary lockdown policy reduces the epidemic’s size but exacerbates the recession’s severity. The negative peak in aggregate production ranges from 10% with a soft containment measure to 25% with a strong containment measure; second, recovery from recession emerges when the lockdown policy is relaxed. On that basis, the output return to its pre-lockdown level after about 50 weeks. Third, sectors characterized by flexible and capital-intensive technology suffer a more severe slowdown.

On Labor Productivity in OECD Countries: Panel Data Modeling

Labor productivity is a key measure of economic performance and an essential factor of improving the living standards. High labor productivity growth rate can reflect increased use of capital, and/or a decrease in the employment of low-productivity workers. Thus, it can be said that labor productivity indicators reflect the effectiveness of labor utilization, labor cost, and revenue accumulation. This paper studies the impact of labor market conditions, economic integration, market size, and institutional quality on labor productivity in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries during the period from 2005 to 2017 by using panel data technique. The study finds that the random effects panel data model is the appropriate model to fit this data. The results suggest that average annual hours worked, labor force participation rate, and inflation rate have a negative significant impact on labor productivity in OECD countries. However, annual growth rate of GDP per capita, value added of industry, and control of corruption have a positive significant impact on labor productivity.

Optimal labor and capital utilization by financial firms: evidence from the German property and casualty insurance industry

Motivated by discussions whether financial firms use too much equity capital and labor, we analyze the input utilization in the German property and casualty (p/c) insurance industry in a newly constructed sample of firm-level data in the period 1956–2019. An earlier study for the U.S. (Cummins and Nini, J Financial Serv Res 21(1–2):15–53, 2002) finds that p/c insurers over-utilize capital. Compared to this study, our large historical dataset exhibits less heterogeneity and thus allows a cleaner identification of the impact of firm characteristics on input factor utilization. We show that German p/c insurers have substantial cost savings potential and that labor input is the main driver of inefficiency. We also document severe differences in firm characteristics driving the utilization of labor. Our results contribute to both the academic discussion on productivity and efficiency in financial services as well as to the political discussion on the future of work and capital regulation in this sector.

English

The manifestation of addiction in modern day American society is novel in its materialization. Marxist concepts of self-estrangement and alienation provides a frame for viewing the way market capitalism and the way labor distribution negatively impact individuals because it supplies humans with false needs and a sense of disillusionment. The utilization of labor as identity and emphasis on profit creates a divide between a person and his self, a disconnect that ultimately causes an overarching culture of dissatisfaction in multiple areas of life. Durkheim’s conceptualizations of anomie theorize the classification of addiction as a form of slow suicide due to external social forces, and the functionalist theory of society serves as a frame for the purpose the addict identity as deviant plays an important role in instigating and upholding certain ideologies of capitalist control and individualism.    Key words: Marx, Durkheim, addiction, capitalism.

Labour Market Institutions and Productivity. Labour Utilisation in Central and Eastern Europe, ed. by Beata Woźniak-Jęchorek and Michał Pilc

Labour Market Institutions and Productivity. Labour Utilisation in Central and Eastern Europe, ed. by Beata Woźniak-Jęchorek and Michał Pilc

Hunger for profit: how food delivery platforms manage couriers in China

Abstract How do food delivery platform firms, such as Meituan (operated by Tencent) and Ele.me (owned by Alibaba), manage couriers through service contracting rather than formal employment? How do couriers experience control and autonomy at work? Using observation and interviews, the author finds that a combination of data-driven surveillance systems and customer feedback mechanisms are incentivizing workers’ efforts. Corporate utilization of both manual and emotional labor is critical to realizing profits. Individual freedom is framed in a way that crowdsourced couriers are not required to work a minimum amount of time. Flexibility enabled by the algorithmic management, however, cuts both ways. When there is less demand, the platform corporations automatically reduce their dependence on labor. With variable food orders and piece rates, workers’ minimum earnings are not guaranteed. In the absence of Chinese legal protections over the fast-growing food delivery sector, informal workers are desperately struggling for livelihood.◊

Policies to reconcile forest conservation and rural development: A pathway to bridge the forest transition in Bhutan?

Reconciling economic development with forest conservation is a challenge, particularly for high-forest cover, low-deforestation countries. Using Bhutan as an illustrative case, this study addresses how forest management may be reformed to benefit rural areas with low risk of compromising conservation objectives. Our analytical framework combines an economy-wide model with a spatial forest resource assessment to analyse the effects of three policy scenarios that relax quotas for sustainable fuelwood production. Rural household welfare is found to improve across all three scenarios mainly due to better utilisation of labour in the agricultural off-season, a channel that is considered thanks to a novel model formulation. The share of total forest used increases from 15.4% in the base to 19.9% in the most expansive scenario, still leaving at least 80% of Bhutan’s forest unmanaged. The scenarios also show that incentives for reduced subsistence use of fuelwood and increased consumption of cleaner domestic energy may yield health benefits thanks to reduced indoor air pollution. The findings are of general relevance for countries aiming to bridge the forest transition and reconcile economic and ecological objectives. By incorporating seasonal labour and underemployment into an economy-wide model, the study provides a methodological contribution relevant to analyses of land use policy. It further highlights the need for improved data and further policy research that integrates forest ecosystem services within economy-wide simulation models.

Gender differential in leafy vegetable production in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

There exists gender imbalance in resource access and utilization in agricultural enterprises which predisposes women to frustration and marginalization. This study examined gender differences in leafy vegetable production in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria.Primary data were collected from 120 male and female leafy vegetable farmers with the aid of structured questionnaire using multi-stage sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that half (50.0%) of the male farmers had post-primary school education while less than one-third (31.0%) of the female farmers had post-primary school education.More than half (65.4%) and52.4% of the male and female farmers, respectively, had no contact with extension agents. More than half (66.7%) and majority (73.8%) of the male and female farmers, respectively financed their farm enterprise with their personal savings.It was found that labour utilization by male farmers differs significantly from the use of labour by female farmers (t=3.79, P≤0.001), while there was no significant difference in farm income among the male and female leafy vegetable farmers.It was concluded that leafy vegetable farmers differ in the modalities of their production on gender basis even though they acquire fairly the same income from the enterprise. This study recommends that the government should assist the farmers with credit of low interest rate and credit institution too should be encouraged to do so. Government should revitalize extension services and regular training of the farmers by the extension agents is crucial for farmers’ productivity.

Online Labour Index 2020: New ways to measure the world’s remote freelancing market

The Online Labour Index (OLI) was launched in 2016 to measure the global utilisation of online freelance work at scale. Five years after its creation, the OLI has become a point of reference for scholars and policy experts investigating the online gig economy. As the market for online freelancing work matures, a high volume of data and new analytical tools allow us to revisit half a decade of online freelance monitoring and extend the index's scope to more dimensions of the global online freelancing market. While (still) measuring the utilisation of online labour across countries and occupations by tracking the number of projects and tasks posted on major English-language platforms, the new Online Labour Index 2020 (OLI 2020) also tracks Spanish- and Russian-language platforms, reveals changes over time in the geography of labour supply and estimates female participation in the online gig economy. The rising popularity of software and tech work and the concentration of freelancers on the Indian subcontinent are examples of the insights that the OLI 2020 provides. The OLI 2020 delivers a more detailed picture of the world of online freelancing via an interactive online visualisation updated daily. It provides easy access to downloadable open data for policymakers, labour market researchers, and the general public ( www.onlinelabourobservatory.org ).

Defining an existing prefabrication workflow to identify measures for increased labour time utilization rates

This paper analyses the current operations and labour utilization rates for a project team engaged in the prefabrication of exterior wall panels, in an existing manufacturing facility in Tempe, Arizona. A current state process is defined for the BIM-to-install process of each exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS) wall panel. Through analysis of the current state, it is found that only 17% of time was spent directly modelling components meant for prefabrication. The remaining 83% of time engaged in modelling is subject to optimization. Based on these findings, a discussion is presented regarding in place scheduling procedures, model and data management protocols, and field to shop verification/validation measures impacting modelling activities. Finally, a presentation of a series of future workflow interventions intended to improve labour utilization rates for modelling and shop personnel while enabling the internal shop ideal for “mass customization through prefabrication” is provided.

Labor Utilization Rate Analysis on Labor Productivity in Catfish Fillet Processing PT X

This study aims to determine the level of labor productivity in catfish fillet processing using the LUR method. In this study, data collection was carried out by means of work sampling by recording labor activities and classifying them into three types of activity, namely effective, contributory, and ineffective. Based on the results of the analysis of Labor Utilization Rate (LUR) using the work sampling method carried out at 4 work stations, namely skinning, filleting, trimming, and freezing for 4 days of observation, it was found that the level of labor productivity in the catfish fillet processing industry was quite satisfactory, due to utility factors or the LUR value is more than 50%, which is an average of 92.22%.

Assessing the Effect of Modifying Milking Routines on Dairy Farm Economic and Environmental Performance

The objective of this paper was to quantify the economic and environmental effects of changing a dairy farm’s milking start times. Changing morning and evening milking start times could reduce both electricity costs and farm electricity related CO2 emissions. However, this may also involve altering farmer routines which are based on practical considerations. Hence, these changes need to be quantified both in terms of profit/emissions and in terms of how far these milking start times deviate from normal operations. The method presented in this paper optimized the combination of dairy farm infrastructure setup and morning and evening milking start times, based on a weighting variable (α) which assigned relative importance to labor utilization, farm net profit and farm electricity related CO2 emissions. Multi-objective optimization was utilized to assess trade-offs between labor utilization and net profit, as well as labor utilization and electricity related CO2 emissions. For a case study involving a 195 cow Irish dairy farm, when the relative importance of maximizing farm net profit or minimizing farm electricity related CO2 emissions was high, the least common milking start times (06:00 and 20:00) were selected. When the relative importance of labor utilization was high, the most common milking start times (07:00 and 17:00) were selected. The 195 cow farm saved €137 per annum when milking start times were changed from the most common to the least common. Reductions in electricity related CO2 emissions were also seen when the milking start times were changed from most common to least common. However, this reduction in emissions was primarily due to the addition of efficient and renewable technology to the farm. It was deduced that the monetary and environmental benefits of altering farmer milking routines were unlikely to change normal farm operating procedures.

Livelihood strategies of farmers in Padang City during pandemic Covid-19

Pandemic Covid 19 has affected all life sectors. One of the sectors affected by this condition is the livelihood strategies of the farmers. This research aimed to identify the livelihood strategies of farmers in Padang City during Covid-19. The research was conducted using a survey method in three selected districts in Padang City, namely Kuranji, Pauh, and Koto Tangah. They were selected based on the most populated districts in Padang City. 150 households were interviewed, which represented 50 households of each district. Data were analyzed using descriptive quantitative analysis. The research results show that there are two kinds of livelihood strategies both on-farm and off-farm, which are survival strategy and collaborative strategy. Households that using survival strategies are characterized by limited natural resources, such as limited land, and do not have any permanent job in the off-farm sector. While households using collaborative strategy are characterized by the utilization of family labor in an informal off-farm sector such as small scale business and any work that relies on labor.

TRAINING AND COUNSELING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WORK SAFETY IN BBPLK SERANG CITY

A safe and healthy workplace is what every worker in the company would want. Therefore, it is vital that we lecturers from Bina Bangsa University feel called to hold counselling and training on K3 to prospective workers in Serang City. Counselling and training aim to reduce accidents due to work to improve the efficiency and productivity of work. Companies in Indonesia, in general include common concern about K3 compared to other countries. Indonesia will be difficult to deal with the global market with these conditions because it will experience inefficiencies in labor utilization due to low work productivity. The problems outlined earlier are attempted to be approached using pictures and props. The counseling and training on K3 are expected to reduce the risk of accidents and health problems for prospective workers and the surrounding community.