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Locational Determinants of Rural Non-Agricultural Employment: Evidence from Brazil

Author

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  • Jonasson, Erik

    (Department of Economics, Lund University)

  • Helfand, Steven

    (University of California, Riverside)

Abstract

By paying particular attention to the local economic context, this paper analyzes the determinants of non-agricultural employment and earnings in non-agricultural jobs. The empirical analysis is based on the Brazilian Demographic Census, allowing for disaggregated controls for the local economy. Education stands out as one of the key determinants of employment outcome and earnings potential. Failure to control for locational effects, however, can lead to biased estimation of the importance of individual and household-specific characteristics. The empirical results show that local market size and distance to population centers have a significant impact on non-agricultural employment prospects and earnings.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonasson, Erik & Helfand, Steven, 2008. "Locational Determinants of Rural Non-Agricultural Employment: Evidence from Brazil," Working Papers 2008:3, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:lunewp:2008_003
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    Cited by:

    1. Radhika Lal & Waldemiro Francisco Sorte Junior, 2011. "Where Biodiversity, Traditional Knowledge, Health and Livelihoods Meet: Institutional Pillars for The Productive Inclusion of Local Communities (Brazil Case Study)," Working Papers 81, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    2. Independent Evaluation Group, 2016. "Growing the Rural Nonfarm Economy to Alleviate Poverty," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 28971.
    3. Carsten Lohmann & Ingo Liefner, 2014. "Spatial Patterns of Private Sector and Public Sector Non-Agricultural Jobs in Rural Northeast Thailand," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(4), pages 710-726, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    rural non-agricultural employment; economic geography; Latin America; Brazil;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure

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