Labour Dynamics Research Articles

Part-Time Farming, Agricultural Socialized Services, and Organic Fertilizer Use: Implications for Climate Change Mitigation

The adoption of organic fertilizers is essential for advancing China’s green agricultural transformation, ensuring food security, and supporting agricultural adaptations. However, several challenges hinder its widespread use in rural areas. This study examines how part-time farming and agricultural service provision influences organic fertilizer use, employing fixed and random effects models on data from 523 households in Shaanxi Province, one of China’s main apple-producing regions. The results reveal: (1) Part-time farming reduces organic fertilizer use by 7.6%, primarily due to labor shortages; (2) Higher non-farm income exacerbates this decline, particularly for Type II part-time farmers; and (3) Mechanized fertilization services help mitigate this reduction. These findings offer valuable policy insights for promoting organic fertilizer adoption in the context of shifting rural labor dynamics and highlight the complex interactions between farming practices and labor migration in the broader trajectory of organic fertilizer use. Moreover, this study highlights the role of organic fertilizer use in enhancing food security while also helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the crop sector in China.

Gender and educational patterns in the demand and supply of grandparent childcare in Australia

AbstractGrandparents are an important source of childcare worldwide, but international patterns vary. We examine how demographic characteristics of parents, and of grandparents, factor into grandparent care provision considering the cultural assumptions and policy settings Australian families live within. Using the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, we identify determinants of both the demand for and the supply of grandparent childcare in Australia (4266 grandparents and 9822 parents). Results suggest that grandmothers and mothers, as much or more than fathers and mothers, balance their reciprocal participation in employment and childcare. University‐educated grandmothers are more likely to provide regular childcare (at least once a week) and university‐educated mothers are more likely to draw upon it, inconsistent with research in other countries. It appears grandparents are stepping in as both “mother savers” and “system savers,” suggesting a need for more public policy support for Australian working mothers to capitalise on their increasingly high educational attainment.

Socioeconomic status and adherence to COVID-19 preventative measures in Australia: A national cohort study.

The uptake of recommended preventative measures is a critical concern for protecting the public against COVID-19 outbreaks and future pandemics. However, it is unclear to what extent COVID-19 preventative measures were followed in Australia. This study aims to determine adherence level to COVID-19 preventative measures in 2021, and whether these were associated with socioeconomic status (SES). This was a national cross-sectional study using data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. This study included 15 457 community-dwelling adults (18 years or older) who participated in the 2021 wave of HILDA survey. SES was assessed by the Socio-Economic Index For Areas (SEIFA) score, split into quintiles. Outcomes included self-reported adherence to COVID-19 preventative measures (mask wearing, keeping distance, staying home; sum score range 3-15) and COVID-19 status (yes/no). Linear and logistic regression were used accordingly to assess the association between SES and the sum score of adherence to COVID-19 measures, and COVID-19 vaccination status. Adherence to COVID-19 preventative measures and uptake of COVID-19 vaccine in Australia in 2021 were moderate (between 60% and 70%). Regression models showed higher SES was associated with a slightly higher score of adherence (β = .08, 95% CI = .04-.12) and a higher likelihood of self-reporting receiving COVID-19 vaccination (OR 1.27, 95% CI = 1.23-1.31). SES was positively associated with the level of adherence to COVID-19 preventative measures and the probability of receiving COVID-19 vaccine. The findings of this study highlight the potential benefits of considering SES, particularly its impact on equity and access, when designing an educational program or awareness campaign in times of crisis. SO WHAT?: The findings of this study highlight the importance of considering SES when designing an educational program or an awareness campaign in times of crisis.

Two birds, one stone: minimum wage and child labor

PurposeThis paper investigates the impact of quasi-exogenous and substantial increases in the minimum wage on child labor outcomes in Türkiye. The study aims to provide empirical evidence on how minimum wage policies affect child labor outcomes in a developing country context, with a focus on gender and age differences. It seeks to understand whether minimum wage increases lead to a reduction in child labor and whether the impact is different for various demographic groups.Design/methodology/approachThe research employs a difference-in-differences methodology using data from the 2012 and 2019 Child Labor Force Survey in Türkiye. The treatment group consists of children from households with minimum wage earners, while the control group comprises children from other households. Various labor market outcomes are analyzed, and robustness checks are performed.FindingsOur findings indicate that while the overall effect of minimum wage increases on child labor is statistically insignificant, there are notable heterogeneous impacts across different demographic groups and employment sectors. Specifically, we observe a significant reduction in the employment probability of girls under the age of 15 and unpaid family workers. Additionally, the likelihood of younger children being wage earners decreases, and the minimum wage increase reduces employment in the agriculture and services sectors for certain subgroups. The impact is also more limited for children in single-adult-worker households.Social implicationsThese results underscore the varying effects of minimum wage policies on child labor and highlight the importance of considering demographic and sectoral differences in policy formulation. Policymakers should complement such policies with income-generating programs and targeted education initiatives to address child labor issues more comprehensively and sustainably.Originality/valueThis study fills a critical gap in the limited international literature on the causal effects of minimum wage policies on child labor incidence. One notable exception, Menon and van der Meulen Rodgers (2018) have explored the impact of minimum wage on child labor in India using regional variation, our study uniquely analyzes the effects at the household level in Türkiye. This approach provides valuable insights into how minimum wage changes affect child labor outcomes in a developing economy context with a high prevalence of minimum wage earners. It also contributes to the broader economic understanding of child labor and household income dynamics.

Teachers’ Emotional Labor: A Systematic Review

Emotional labor refers to the process by which employees are required to regulate their emotions in accordance with professionally specified requirements, rules, and guidelines. In the context of teaching, a significant portion of work is dedicated to the emotional labor of the teachers. Teaching, as a multifaceted profession, encompasses cognitive as well as emotional dimensions. Teachers consistently engage in emotional labor as an essential component of achieving pedagogical objectives and fostering positive learning outcomes. This review aimed to examine the emotional labor of elementary and high school teachers. The study was guided by four key questions: (1) What are the emotional labor levels of the teachers? (2) How do teachers engage in emotional labor in terms of surface acting and deep acting? (3) What is the relationship between naturally felt emotions and surface acting and deep acting? (4) What are the remaining gaps in the literature regarding the study of emotional labor, surface acting, and deep acting among teachers in elementary and high schools? We systematically selected ten articles relevant to our objective to confirm the components related to teachers’ emotional labor, with a specific focus on surface acting, deep acting, and naturally felt emotions in elementary and high school teachers. A comprehensive database search was conducted, in adherence to the PRISMA statement, to locate relevant studies investigating “teachers’ emotional labor” and synthesizing surface acting and deep acting. The PICOS approach was used to refine research inquiries and formulate search terms. Overall, the literature review highlights notable associations between surface acting and deep acting. However, there is no conclusive evidence that shows the correlation between deep acting and naturally felt emotions. There is considerable room for improving our understanding of emotional labor, including study methodologies, explored variables, and the recognition of historical and cultural influences that moderate and mediate the dynamics of emotional labor. This systematic review sought to delineate and consolidate existing research insights on teachers’ emotional labor.

Personality and cardiovascular mortality risk: a multi-cohort analysis in individuals with and without pre-existing cardiovascular disease

AbstractThis study investigated the associations between personality traits of the Five Factor Model and cardiovascular mortality, with a specific focus on whether pre-existing cardiovascular conditions modified these associations. We used data from 43,027 participants across five cohort studies: Health and Retirement Study (HRS); Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS); National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP); Midlife in the United States (MIDUS); Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) with a mean age 55.9 years and 6493 individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. We conducted meta-analyses examining conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness, openness to experience, and extraversion in relation to mortality due to coronary heart disease and stroke. During a mean follow-up of 12.1 years, 1620 participants died from coronary heart disease and 454 from stroke. Lower conscientiousness was associated with higher mortality risk from both coronary heart disease (hazard ratio per 1SD = 0.82, 95%CI = 0.75–0.90) and stroke (HR = 0.84, CI = 0.72–0.99). Lower emotional stability predicted increased coronary heart disease mortality (HR = 0.91, CI = 0.85–0.97). The association between conscientiousness and cardiovascular mortality did not differ between individuals with or without baseline cardiovascular conditions. In addition, adjustments for health behaviors and other covariates only slightly attenuated this association. Other personality traits were not associated with cardiovascular disease mortality. Our findings highlight the role of low conscientiousness, and to a lesser extent low emotional stability, in the development and progression of fatal cardiovascular disease through pathways that may extend beyond established health behaviors.

Introduction: Studying Work Regulation Processes Beyond the Formal/Informal Divide

This introduction provides an outline of what an approach to work regulation processes beyond the formal/informal divide might look like. The first section briefly reviews the different approaches to informal economies that have been developed since the early 1970s. The second section takes a step back from this literature to draw attention to the intellectual and political weaknesses of the concept of informal economy. Building on this critique, the third section proposes avenues for studying work regulation processes beyond the formal/informal divide. To conclude, the fourth section highlights the contributions that the articles of this special issue bring to the analysis of work regulation and labour dynamics in Africa.

Quantitative Analysis of the Future of the Sharing Economy, Housing, White-Collar Labor Markets, and Problems in Big Cities

This research project explores the future of the sharing economy and its profound effects on housing markets, white-collar labor dynamics, and socio-economic challenges in large metropolitan areas. Using quantitative economics and econometric techniques, the study evaluates how platforms such as Airbnb, Uber, and coworking spaces are reshaping urban life, exacerbating housing affordability issues, and altering labor market structures. By analyzing housing market data, labor statistics, and platform economy data from major cities like New York, London, and Istanbul, this research provides empirical insights into how the sharing economy influences urban economic landscapes. The study employs difference-in-differences (DiD) and multivariate regression models to assess causal relationships, particularly in terms of housing market disruptions caused by short-term rental platforms and labor market fragmentation driven by the rise of gig and remote work. Spatial econometric techniques are also used to explore geographic disparities in housing and employment impacts across urban districts. Preliminary findings indicate that the proliferation of sharing economy platforms has contributed to housing shortages and increased prices in central urban areas, while labor markets experience growing polarization, with high-skilled workers benefiting from remote work opportunities and low-skilled gig workers facing economic precarity. This research offers valuable policy insights into the regulation of short-term rentals and the protection of gig economy workers, highlighting the need for regulatory frameworks that address urban inequality and labor market shifts. By integrating data from multiple sources, this study contributes to the academic discourse on urban economics and provides a framework for understanding the long-term socio-economic implications of the sharing economy in big cities.

Nationally representative estimates of food insecurity during COVID‐19: An investigation of the Food Insecurity Experience Scale in Australia

AbstractThe purpose of this paper was to measure the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) in Australia during the COVID‐19 pandemic using the 8‐item Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). Employing the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, Rasch models alongside a discrete method were used to investigate the severity of FI and robustness of the 8‐item FIES during 2020–2021. Our results indicate that during 2020–2021, 6.47% of Australians experienced moderate or severe FI and 2.93% experienced severe FI. Validation tests following United Nations guidelines show similar weighted and unweighted results and consistency with the discrete method. Infit and outfit metrics, alongside measures of reliability and residual correlations, were all within the expected range. We conclude that the FIES administered as part of Wave 20 of the HILDA survey was a suitable instrument for measuring the prevalence of FI at a representative population level. Although Australia has been measuring FI for 40 years, it has been characterised by measurement inconsistency, inadequacy and infrequency, resulting in insufficient data for policymaking. Reliable representative population estimates of the extent of FI in Australia provides critical intelligence for an effective policy response.

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.

Association Between Three Levels of Social Exclusion and Quality of Life in the Oldest Old Australians: An Analysis of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Data.

This study examined associations between three levels of social exclusion and quality of life in the Australian oldest old. We performed cross-sectional analyses of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia data using 203 participants aged ≥85. Principal component analysis was used to construct social exclusion variables at an individual level (lack of supportive relationships), neighborhood level (disadvantaged neighborhood social climates), and community level (community disengagement). Quality of life was assessed using physical and mental component summary scores of SF-36. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed separately for men and women. Lack of supportive relationships was negatively associated with physical and mental quality of life in all participants. Among men, community disengagement was associated with low physical quality of life. Policies to reduce social exclusion in this age group should focus on improving supportive relationships to enhance quality of life, rather than neighborhood or community levels.

The impact of COVID-19 and the ERS on superannuation savings in Australia

COVID-19 has had a significant economic impact on Australia, and consequently on the superannuation savings of many individuals. To examine COVID-19’s heterogeneous effects across different industries and demographic groups, the impact on superannuation was assessed for 12 representative cameos using a range of Australian data, including Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA), ATO, ABS and APRA sources. The marginal impacts of sudden job loss, investment losses, investment switching and participation in the Early Release of Superannuation (ERS) scheme were each investigated in turn. The cameos highlight that some demographic cohorts faced several compounding challenges. For example, many ERS applicants were already facing financial hardship, were more likely to be younger, and faced a higher risk of unemployment. This highlights that COVID-19 has impacted different cohorts in different ways, depending on age, employment status and industry, and family situation, among other factors. JEL Classification: D14, D15, J26, J32

Revisiting Panel Data Binary Choice Models with Lagged Dependent Variables*

This paper revisits the identification and estimation of a class of semiparametric (distribution-free) panel data binary choice models with lagged dependent variables, exogenous covariates, and entity fixed effects. We provide a novel identification strategy, using an “identification at infinity” argument. In contrast with the celebrated Honoré and Kyriazidou (2000), our method permits time trends of any form and does not suffer from the “curse of dimensionality”. We propose an easily implementable conditional maximum score estimator. The asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator are fully characterized. A small-scale Monte Carlo study demonstrates that our approach performs satisfactorily in finite samples. We illustrate the usefulness of our method by presenting an empirical application to enrollment in private hospital insurance using the Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey data.

Sustaining Ethical ePortfolio Practices: Insights from AAEEBL’s Task Force Year 4

This paper recognises the importance of digital ethics when using ePortfolios and provides information about the development of a comprehensive resource from the Association for Authentic, Experiential and Evidence-based Learning (AAEEBL) Digital Ethics in ePortfolios Task Force’s four-year work. With the public release of ChatGPT addressing ethical challenges in education is critical. Over three years, the global Task Force diligently drafted, refined, and published a suite of digital ethics principles, strategies, scenarios, and resources, which is available as open source. In the fourth year (July 2022-June 2023), the Task Force formed three sub-groups to manage the growing number of objectives. The Development group explored intersections between principles and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), while evaluating data responsibility. The Outreach group disseminated the work through engaging workshops and publications, which also allowed the wider community feedback opportunities to further enhance the resources. Furthermore, the Research group undertook the ePortfolio Mapping Project to shed light on labour dynamics within ePortfolio practice across North America. The survey instrument was then adapted for data collection in Australia, and New Zealand. The paper highlights the significant achievements of these collective efforts, shares preliminary research findings, and offers valuable insights. It aims to promote ethical ePortfolio usage to enhance teaching, learning and assessment. Practitioner Notes Recognising potential ethical challenges in digital learning is critical. ePortfolios enable integrated learning experiences to meet a range of pedagogical objectives, including the tracking of learning processes as well as end artefacts. Learning how to apply ethical decision-making in using ePortfolios is essential. Comprehensive resources have been developed to assist educators, students, professional staff, and other digital pedagogy stakeholders. Research is underway into current ePortfolio practices which will inform future thinking, advocacy, and awareness.

The fattening speed: Understanding the impact of internet speed on obesity, and the mediating role of sedentary behaviour

We examine the impact of access to high-speed internet on obesity. Using 14 waves of longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey and a newly constructed dataset on the rollout and adoption rate of the National Broadband Network (NBN) across Australian postcodes, we find that access to high-speed internet has a positive effect on obesity. Specifically, our preferred instrumental variable estimates, which predict the variation in timing and location of internet access upgrades, suggest that a 1 % increase in the proportion of a postcode that has access to NBN is associated with a 1.573 increase in Body Mass Index and a 6.6 percentage point increase in the probability of being obese. These results are robust to several checks and alternative specifications. We also find that sedentary behaviour and inactivity are mechanisms through which access to high-speed internet transmits to obesity.

Paid Sick Leave Mandate and Its Impact on Labor Dynamics in California

The implementation of the Paid Sick Leave (PSL) Mandate in several cities and states since 2006 has enhanced workers health and productivity. This research paper evaluates the impact of PSL mandates on the weekly working hours of full-time workers in California State, using the traditional Difference-in-Difference model and Current Population Survey (CPS) data. It is found by the analysis that a notable rise in full-time employees working hours in California was experienced after the publication of PSL in 2015, contrasting with the steadily decreasing patterns in Texas. The positive impacts are confirmed by regression models. The findings depict that the PSL mandate may reduce full-time employees working hours at first glance, but its positive externalities could offset that negative impact. This study contributes a unique insight into the influence on a certain sort of workers those working full-time, instead of the labor force as a whole, and provides valuable suggestions to policymakers, employers, and workers considering the policy in a full picture.

Gender Differences in Variability in Intimate Relationship Satisfaction: A Secondary Analysis and Meta-Analysis.

There is a long-standing interest in gender differences in satisfaction in intimate relationships. Whereas prior research has focused on gender differences in central tendency (i.e., means), we conducted two studies - a secondary analysis of data from a probability sample of Australian married couples and a meta-analysis - to examine gender differences in variability (i.e., variances). We hypothesized that compared to males, females would demonstrate greater variability in intimaterelationship satisfaction (i.e., greater female variability hypothesis), particularly at lower levels of relationship satisfaction. Results from a secondary analysis of data from 2,711 married couples in the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey and from a meta-analysis of 20 years of research (k = 171, N = 84,976), including independent samples from 33 countries, indicated that relative to males, females reported greater variability in relationship satisfaction. Obtained effect sizes (female-to-male variance ratios [VRs] of 1.42 for the HILDA sample and 1.19 for the meta-analysis) were larger than proposed cutoffs for meaningful group differences in variability. Analysis of tail ratios (ratios of the relative proportion of females divided by the relative proportion of males in the distributional tail regions) in the HILDA sample indicated that gender differences in variability were greater at lower (versus higher) levels of satisfaction. Findings support the greater female variability hypothesis and suggest that by focusing only on gender differences in means, the existing literature has underestimated gender differences in intimaterelationship satisfaction.

The political economy of agroecological transitions: key analytical dimensions

ABSTRACT There is a growing global interest in agroecology, yet agroecological transitions remain fraught with challenges. These include the need to reconfigure the productive and reproductive agrarian relations of unsustainable food systems and to rethink how we work with ecosystems. Using a political economy approach, we propose five key interrelated dimensions for analyzing agroecological transitions: (i) social metabolism; (ii) labor dynamics; (iii) markets and resources; (iv) social organization; and (iv) policies and politics. While these dimensions are often analyzed separately and to varying degrees, we argue that together they contribute to a comprehensive analysis of the political economy of agroecological transitions.

Socio-economic inequalities in health-related quality of life and the contribution of cognitive impairment in Australia: A decomposition analysis

BackgroundThe distributional effects of cognitive impairment on inequalities in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are not well studied. This relationship has not been studied in any Australian health inequality literature. Therefore, this study aims to examine how cognitive impairment affects the distribution of HRQoL across various socio-economic classes amongst older Australians. MethodsData for this study was collected from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. The final analysis consisted of 5,247 and 5,614 unique individuals from wave 2012 and wave 2016, respectively. An ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model was used to investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and HRQoL. Additionally, the Wagstaff-Doorslaer-Watanabe standard concentration index was used to examine socioeconomic inequality in HRQoL. ResultsThe findings revealed pro-rich inequalities in HRQoL, as indicated by the concentration indices of 0.029 and 0.025 for wave 12 and wave 16, respectively. Additionally, the results showed that mild cognitive impairment accounted for 7.60% and 9.03%, respectively, of pro-rich socioeconomic inequality in HRQoL in 2012 and 2016. ConclusionPeople from lower socioeconomic status (SES) groups tend to have lower HRQoL compared to those from higher SES. This leads to a greater disparity in HRQoL based on SES. Cognitive impairment positively contributed to this inequality in HRQoL. Therefore, it is critical to incorporate cognitive impairment into the design of interventions to reduce socioeconomic inequality in HRQoL.

Locus of control and the long-term effects of parental smoking on mental health

RationaleFew studies take a life course perspective to explain if exposure to second-hand smoke in childhood influences mental health in adulthood. Importantly, no study provides empirical evidence on the pathways through which exposure to second-hand smoke in childhood influences mental health in adulthood. There is also limited evidence on the factors that moderate the relationship between second-hand smoke exposure and mental health. To inform policy, it is important to explore the pathways through which second-hand smoke influences mental health and understand factors that are likely to moderate this relationship. ObjectivesThe objective of this paper is to examine if exposure to parental smoking in childhood influences mental health in adulthood. The study examines general health and smoking status in later life as potential channels and if locus of control (LoC), a personality trait developed in childhood and adolescence, moderates the relationship between exposure to parental smoking in childhood and mental health in adulthood. MethodsUsing 21 waves of longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA), the study conducts regression analyses that adjust for the potential effects of confounders and other biases. ResultsThe results show that exposure to parental smoking in childhood is associated with a decline in mental health in later life, and that general health status and smoking status in adulthood are channels through which exposure to parental smoking in childhood influences mental health in adulthood. Specifically, those who are exposed to parental smoking in childhood tend to have poorer general health and a higher probability of being smokers in adulthood, both of which negatively impact mental health. The findings point to the moderating role of LoC, such that being more internal on LoC dampens the negative effects of exposure to parental smoking on mental health. ConclusionThe findings from this study lend support to the need to address the long-term implications of behaviours that are harmful to health. The findings also suggest that LoC has implications for an individual's psychological resilience against the negative effects from exposure to parental smoking in childhood.