Labor Economics Commons^™

Benefits Vs. Costs Of Business Incentives, Timothy J. Bartik

Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Job Of Human Capital: What Occupational Data Reveal About Skill Sets, Economic Growth And Regional Competitiveness, Lillian Frances Stewart

ETD Archive

A region's workforce has been described as its greatest asset. Guided by human capital theory and new growth theory, regions have pursued economic development policies to increase the number of college-educated workers and expand the pool of STEM -- science, technology, engineering, and math -- talent. Academic literature and policy interventions have focused on a region's human capital in terms of educational attainment instead of a more fine-grained definition of human capital based on skills and competencies. This dissertation integrates economic and business theory and combines three federal databases to explore regional human capital assets. Findings suggest that policymakers may …

Occupational Outlook For The Construction Industry In The Greater Grand Rapids-Holland-Muskegon Region, Brian Pittelko, George A. Erickcek

Reports

No abstract provided.

Economic Development And Female Labor Force Participation In The Middle East And North Africa: A Test Of The U-Shape Hypothesis, Kelsey A. Chapman

Gettysburg Economic Review

This paper investigates the relationship between economic development and female labor force participation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Using a panel data set of 20 countries in the region for the period of 1990-2012, I develop an econometric model that tests the U-shape hypothesis. This study builds upon previous literature examining the U-shape hypothesis in time series studies for developing countries, and cross-country studies. The results of this paper suggest that there is a U-shaped relationship between economic growth and female labor force participation rates. The MENA region’s low female labor force participation rates can be explained …

Unemployment And Economic Integration For Developing Countries, Haiwen Zhou

Economics Faculty Publications

While financial or trade integration between countries may increase the size of the market and aid the adoption of more advanced technologies, will it also increase the level of urban unemployment for a developing country? In this model, there is unemployment in the urban sector. Manufacturing firms engage in oligopolistic competition and choose increasing returns technologies to maximize profits. Financial firms provide capital to manufacturing firms and they also engage in oligopolistic competition. We show that an increase in the wage rate in the manufacturing sector changes neither the level of technology nor the level of employment in the manufacturing …

The Shortage Of Skilled Workers: Quality Jobs For A Trained Workforce, Jonathan Rothwell

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

The Great Recession of 2008 temporarily solved employer workforce needs by lowering demand and increasing the number of unemployed skilled workers. After a few years of modest but sustained economic growth, the labor market for skilled workers has once again tightened and positions are going unfilled. This research helps national and regional leaders understand which skills are in short supply and offers policy advice on how to redress the imbalance between supply and demand. In addition to offering a national perspective on this topic, the lecture will examine the situation in Nevada.

Economic Development Recommendations That Focus On The "Working Poor": Lessons From Waco, George Erickcek, Don Edgerly, Brian Pittelko, Claudette Robey, Bridget Timmeney, Jim Robey

Employment Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

The Road Through The Rust Belt: From Preeminence To Decline To Prosperity, William M. Bowen Editor

Upjohn Press

The chapters in this book explore reasons for the decline of "Rust Belt" cities and the often innovative responses of local leaders and entrepreneurs that are helping to revive these areas.

A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Current And Future Talent Needs For The Talent 2025 Region, George Erickcek, Brian Pittelko, Claudette Robey, Bridget Timmeney

Reports

No abstract provided.

The State Of Ohio's Steel Industry, Edward W. Hill, Iryna Lendel, Fran Stewart

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Target Industry Study: An Empirical Analysis Of Intertemporal Trends In Regional Industrial Base Composition, David M. Smith

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This paper follows existing literature on local industrial conditions and agglomeration economies in an adapted shift-share framework. The purpose of this study is to develop a cost-efficient empirical model that meets the needs of local government in analyzing changes in industrial composition. The data for this model is obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) with nondisclosed data provided by the Virginia Employment Commission which is sorted by North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) 2-digit industrial sectors. The model developed in this paper identifies certain industrial sectors which exert significant influence on the …

Pennsylvania’S True Commonwealth: The State Of Manufacturing – Challenges And Opportunities (Full Report), Edward W. Hill, John R. Brandt, Iryna Lendel, Faith Noble, Ellen Cyran, Charles Post, Jim Samuel, Fran Stewart

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Industrial Resource Center Network of Pennsylvania is the state’s affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. Both the IRC program and the MEP have longstanding traditions of self-assessment and evolution as ways of being accountable to the public and of promoting continuous improvement. The IRC program and the MEP are charged with helping manufacturing in general, and small to midsized manufacturers in particular, improve their competitive position. The IRC program uses the outcomes from these assessments to think about the challenges their constituents face due to rapid evolution in the globally competitive …

Talent 2025: Assessment Of The West Michigan Talent Development System, George Erickcek, Brian Pittelko, Bridget Timmeney, Brad R. Watts

Reports

No abstract provided.

Rebuilding Distressed Regions: Problem Diagnosis And Tracking, Randall W. Eberts

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Regional Collaborations For Economic Development: Lessons From The Employment And Training Adminsitration's Wired Initiative, Kevin Hollenbeck, Nancy Hewat

Employment Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Nurturing America's Growth In The Global Marketplace Through Talent Development: An Interim Report On The Evaluation Of Generations Ii And Iii Of Wired, Nancy Hewat, Kevin Hollenbeck

Reports

This is the first report from the evaluation of Generations II and III of the Workforce Innovations in Regional Economic Development Initiative. This interim report presents baseline information from all 26 regions. It reflects the status of regional activities as of the summer of 2008, when many regions were in the initial stage of implementation. Thus, the report focuses on the development of partnerships, governance arrangements, and the design of decision-making processes. In early 2006, ETA announced the initial recipients of grants to promote regional collaboration of a wide range of public and private organizations with the goal of transforming …

How Can A Community Respond To The Economic Downturn?, George A. Erickcek, Brad R. Watts

Employment Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

An End In Itself And A Means To Good Ends: Why Income Equality Is Important, Arthur Macewan

Center for Social Policy Publications

In recent years “poverty reduction” has become the watchword in development agencies, in international lending institutions, and among development economists generally. The focus on poverty reduction reached a high point perhaps with the articulation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and with the extensive analytic work that has accompanied the MDGs. Yet, much of the discussion of poverty reduction and economic development in low and middle income countries has either ignored the issue of income distribution or has tended to view income distribution only in terms of its impact on economic growth.

Poverty and inequality, however, are intimately bound up …

Economic Impact Of Businesses Assisted By Southwest Michigan First, George A. Erickcek, Randall W. Eberts

Reports

This report estimates the contribution to the Kalamazoo-Portage MSA's economy by businesses that have received substantial assistance from Southwest Michigan First (SMF), a private, not-for-profit economic development agency serving the greater Kalamazoo region. The report examines the trends in employment, gross regional product, and wages and salaries generated by the 105 firms that SMF staff identified as receiving substantial assistance from SMF between 2000 and 2008. The estimates extend through the year 2012 in order to capture the employment projections offered by some of the assisted firms. The study also provides upper bound estimates of the benefit-cost ratio of the …

Are De Jure Labor Laws Absolute? Formal Manufacturing In India, Gurmeet Singh Ghumman

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

We investigate the view that de facto labor market conditions are important in evaluating the effects of labor institutions in developing countries where enactment does not necessarily imply enforcement. Using India as a case study we empirically investigate the effects of labor markets on the organized manufacturing sector from 1970 to 1997. Recognizing that the state can intervene in the outcome of labor disputes we construct a measure to proxy the degree of the state legislature's prejudice towards pro-worker causes. We argue that leftist and communist political parties can interfere in the resolution of disputes in favor of workers through …

Is There A Role For Public Support Of Incumbent Worker On-The-Job Training?, Kevin Hollenbeck

Upjohn Institute Policy Papers

States have begun to use training subsidies as a policy tool for employment retention and business competitiveness. This paper summarizes a survey of states concerning their investments in incumbent worker training. Altogether, states are investing about $550 to $800 million, which is perhaps one percent or less of total private sector training costs. The paper further discusses a study conducted for one state in which we found significant fiscal returns implying that underinvestment of public funds for incumbent worker training may be occurring. In this state, primary sector jobs were created or retained at a public cost of less than …

Emerging Industries: Looking Beyond The Usual Suspects: A Report To Wired, George A. Erickcek, Brad R. Watts

Reports

No abstract provided.

Economic Dashboard Supplemental Report: Other Social And Economic Indicators, George A. Erickcek

Reports

No abstract provided.

Economic Scan And Workforce Development Profile: Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, And St. Joseph Counties, Brad R. Watts, George A. Erickcek, Bridget Timmeney, Suprotik Stotz-Ghosh

Reports

No abstract provided.

Education, Technology And Skill Premium : A Dynamic General Equilibrium Analysis, Anusha Pai

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Education, Technology and Skill Premium: a Dynamic General Equilibrium Analysis is a two fold attempt to capture skill premium dynamics. First, it examines results across a cross section of model economies at different stages of economic development. It equates these model economies to real economies and compares skill premium results with the measure of income inequality. Second, it makes a valiant attempt to capture the non linear dynamics present in the US skill premium across 20th century, not captured so far in any dynamic general equilibrium model. Though the simplistic nature of the model leaves out many fine trends, the …

The Economic Impact Of Saint Mary's Hauenstein Center On The Greater Grand Rapids Area, George A. Erickcek

Reports

No abstract provided.

Northeast Ohio Employment And Wage Trends: Economic Brief, January 2006, Ziona Austrian Ph.D.

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This brief is a second release of a publication that provides a broad overview of employment and wage trends for Northeast Ohio (NEO). It updates the first brief with data for the first quarters of 2004 and 2005. Its objective is to provide a quick, current, and informative report on the region’s economy. NEO is defined as a 14-county area composed of four metro areas – Cleveland, Akron, Canton, and Youngstown – and three additional adjacent counties (Ashtabula, Columbiana, and Wayne). This brief begins with longer-term analysis from 1993 followed by short-term trends from the first quarter of 2003 through …

Northeast Ohio Employment And Wage Trends: Economic Brief, Winter 2005, Ziona Austrian Ph.D.

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This brief is the first release of a quarterly publication that will provide a broad overview of employment and wage trends for Northeast Ohio (NEO). Its objective is to provide a quick, current, and informative report of the region’s jobs. NEO is defined as a 14-county area, which is composed of four metro areas – Cleveland, Akron, Canton, and Youngstown – and three additional adjacent counties (Ashtabula, Columbiana, and Wayne). This brief begins with longer-term analysis followed by short-term trends from the year 2000 using the 20 two-digit industrial sectors of the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS).

Rural Community Economic Development Project Update, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselors who serve rural areas report that limited employment opportunities for people with disabilities are a significant challenge. Many rural communities have marginal or fragile economies, but lack the resources to conduct economic development projects that could lead to business and employment growth. In Progress Report #13, we described an innovative program that helps VR agencies and people with disabilities take a leadership role in small-town economic development efforts. To date, RTC: Rural’s Community Economic Development Project has been implemented in two rural locations. The Project builds on the capacities of state/federal Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and people …

Small Cities Blues: Looking For Growth Factors In Small And Medium-Sized Cities, George A. Erickcek, Hannah J. Mckinney

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

The purpose of this exploratory study is to attempt to identify particular public policies which have the potential to increase the economic viability of smaller metropolitan areas and cities. We identify characteristics associated with smaller metro areas that performed better-than-expected (winners) and worse-than-expected (losers) during the 1990s, given their resources, industrial mix, and location as of 1990. Once these characteristics have been identified, we look for evidence that public policy choices may have promoted and enhanced a metro area's ability to succeed and to regain control of its own economic destiny. Methodologically, we construct a regression model which identifies the …