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Employment structure in China from 1990 to 2015

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  • Ge, Peng
  • Sun, Wenkai
  • Zhao, Zhong

Abstract

Using nationally representative samples from population census and mini-census of China, this study analyzes important employment dynamics in China from 1990 to 2015. The share of routine manual jobs decreased significantly, from 57% to 32%. The share of routine cognitive jobs as well as that of adults not working increased significantly, from 8% to 19%, and from 16% to 31%, respectively. However, the share of non-routine jobs did not change significantly. Our decomposition analysis reveals the composition effect resulting from the change in the composition of population demographics, the propensity effect from change in the probability of people with given demographic characteristics sorting into different employment categories, and the interaction effect of the co-movement of demographic group size changes and propensity changes given demographic characteristics. For the decline in routine manual jobs, each of these three effects contributes 68%, 66%, and −34%, respectively. Meanwhile, for the rise in routine cognitive jobs, each effect is 16%, 74%, and 11%, respectively. Finally, for the rise in the not-working population, each effect is 7%, 93%, and 0.3%, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Ge, Peng & Sun, Wenkai & Zhao, Zhong, 2021. "Employment structure in China from 1990 to 2015," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 168-190.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:185:y:2021:i:c:p:168-190
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2021.02.022
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    Cited by:

    1. Xu, Tao & Zhu, Weiwei, 2021. "Eudemonia and Freedom: A Bibliometric Research on Frontiers and Evolution of Labour and Employment in China," MPRA Paper 112908, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 30 Mar 2022.
    2. Huaxin Wang-Lu & Octasiano Miguel Valerio Mendoza, 2022. "Job Prospects and Labour Mobility in China," Papers 2207.08282, arXiv.org, revised Sep 2022.
    3. Fleisher, Belton & McGuire, William & Su, Yaqin & Zhao, Min Qiang, 2018. "Innovation, Wages, and Polarization in China," MPRA Paper 87105, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Chunbing Xing, 2021. "The changing nature of work and earnings inequality in China," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-105, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Antonio Martins-Neto & Nanditha Mathew & Pierre Mohnen & Tania Treibich, 2024. "Is There Job Polarization in Developing Economies? A Review and Outlook," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 39(2), pages 259-288.
    6. Ling, Wanying & Wang, Senhu & Li, Shuanglong, 2024. "Diversity patterns in non-standard employment and their relationship with self-rated health in urban China from 2010 to 2021," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
    7. Fang, Guanfu & Miao, Liya, 2024. "Expanding boundaries: The Impact of kindergarten availability on women's employment in China," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    8. Hu, Wanqi & Huang, Wangen & Wu, Jianxin & Zhang, Chaokai, 2024. "Place-based policies and local human capital accumulation: Evidence from China's special economic zone program," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Employment Dynamics; Routine Job; Non-routine Job; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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