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Urban employment in post-transition economies: skill mismatch in the local labor market

Author

Listed:
  • Jelena Stankoviæ

    (University of Niš, Faculty of Economics, 18000 Niš, Serbia)

  • Marija Džuniæ

    (University of Niš, Faculty of Economics, 18000 Niš, Serbia)

  • Srðan Marinkoviæ

    (University of Niš, Faculty of Economics, 18000 Niš, Serbia)

Abstract

The paper explores the mismatch between the skills and qualifications required by the labour market and those acquired through education and on-the-job learning. The skill mismatch in transition economies tends to be even more pronounced as the labour markets in these countries are characterized by structural unemployment, affecting both older workers with obsolete skills and the young ones. Employers face poor incentives for investing in workforce skill development, due to the inadequate investment climate and volatile business environment. Transition countries face increasing outward mobility of an educated workforce, loss of human capital, and shortage of workforce in the fields such as ICT, medicine, science and research. The research is based on empirical data generated in a survey on ICT and manufacturing enterprises in the City of Niš, Serbia. The research methodology combines workers' self-assessment method for the skill gap measurement and the competence approach combined with the statistical methods. The findings indicate the presence of a qualification mismatch, in the form of the over-qualification as a dominant irregularity in the analysed labour market. The results of the study are expected to contribute to creating a network of policy instrumentaria that tend to be effective on a sub-national level in addressing the mismatch.

Suggested Citation

  • Jelena Stankoviæ & Marija Džuniæ & Srðan Marinkoviæ, 2021. "Urban employment in post-transition economies: skill mismatch in the local labor market," Zbornik radova Ekonomskog fakulteta u Rijeci/Proceedings of Rijeka Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, vol. 39(2), pages 279-297.
  • Handle: RePEc:rfe:zbefri:v:39:y:2021:i:2:p:279-297
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    education; labour market; skill mismatch; unemployment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • C10 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - General
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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