Labour Productivity as Indicator of Regional Economy Efficiency

The interrelation of labour productivity and economic situation in regions of the Russian Federation is really acute in current conditions, when such destructive factors as sanctions, inflation, instability on global markets due to coronavirus epidemic take place. Therefore, the key goal of the research is to estimate labour productivity in regions as a factor of economy efficiency. Among methods of research it is possible to mention comparative analysis of the indicator, typology of regions by a number of parameters in order to identify regional differentiation. It is assumed that the highest labour productivity is typical of raw-materials regions, which specialize on extraction and export of mineral resources. However, we should take into account that natural and climatic factors in this group of regions increase labour costs and therefore, cut labour productivity. The authors show that in regions with conventional specialization on manufacturing industry (when the raw-materials sector retains a certain importance) the said indicator demonstrates a high value, even in spite of some unfavorable trends on labour market. The authors used the following materials and research findings for preparing the article: results of deep interviews of employment service workers in the Ryazan region conducted in 2021 within the frames of the research ‘Digitalization of Labour Market and Employment in Russia: Trends and Mechanisms of Development’; materials of expert discussions and surveys of employment service heads in regions of the Central Federal District within the frames of the research ‘Organizational and Finance Mechanisms to Support Population Employment in 2021-2023, which Aims at Unemployment Reduction’

Neighborhood Environments and Cognitive Decline in Middle and Old Age in China: Gender and Age Variations

Older adults are more vulnerable to neighborhood physical and social conditions due to longer exposure, increased vulnerability, changing spatial use, and a greater reliance on access to community sources of integration. Previous research has demonstrated an association between neighborhood environments and cognitive function in older adults. However, most studies were cross-sectional, focused on western countries, and did not examine potential moderating factors. This study examined gender and age variations in the relationship between neighborhood environments and cognitive decline in middle and old age in a developing country that is experiencing rapid population aging and rising prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Using data from a nationally representative sample of adults aged 45 years and older from the three waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2011-2015), this study estimated multilevel growth curve models for the effects of neighborhood environments on cognitive decline separately for men and women and for those aged 45 to 64 and those aged 65 and above. It showed that the cross-sectional effect of outdoor facility and longitudinal effect of handicapped access were more significant for men, but the cross-sectional effect of community social participation and longitudinal effects of raining days, number of disasters, employment service, and community SES were more significant for women. The cross-sectional effect of infrastructure advantages and longitudinal effects of employment service and old age income support were more significant for adults aged 65 and over. These findings suggest that community-level interventions may be more beneficial for older women.

Implementation of Public Employment Services in a Philippine Local Government Unit

The Public Employment Service Office is responsible for implementing labor market programs to promote full employment and equality of employment services. This study assessed the level of implementation of the services of the public employment service office of a component city in the areas of local employment in terms of labor market information, referral and placement, career and employment coaching, provision of livelihood and employment programs, and special employment in terms of reintegration assistance, employability enhancement, pre-employment counseling, and other services as assessed by local and overseas jobseekers and local business and overseas employment agencies. It also investigated the challenges encountered by the respondents in availing these services. This descriptive-comparative study used a researcher-made survey instrument administered to randomly selected local and overseas job seekers and local and overseas business and employment agencies. Using descriptive and inferential analyses, the study yielded a very high level of implementation which implies that the services by the PESO promoted job generation and addressed unemployment although, a significant difference was revealed in the implementation of labor market information and self-employment programs and services. The study recommended the enactment of local laws to enhance employment facilitation.

Online Vacancies and its Role in Labor Market Performance

This paper assesses whether the expansion of online job vacancies leads to a more efficient labor market. We provide compelling evidence that the increase in online job vacancy penetration in Colombia has had an enhancing effect on the labor market's efficiency by making it easier for firms to find workers to fill their job openings. An estimation of the Beveridge Curve (unemployment to vacancies relationship), a well-established theoretical development from search models, concludes that policies that increase online vacancy posting enhance efficiency. We implement a differences in differences design to take advantage of a regulation, which mandates that all authorized online vacancy providers report any online vacancy to the Public Employment Service in Colombia. We find that sub-segments of the labor market with a relevant fraction of their vacancies posted online, presented on average nearly 15% lower vacancy rate for a given unemployment rate. Therefore, for these sub-segments, the Beveridge curve shifted inwards due to efficiency enhancements. These findings support active search policies to reduce information barriers, which reduce the odds of firms and workers finding one other in the labor market. Policies as those implemented by the Public Employment Service in Colombia seem to be beneficial.

Support of employers as a factor of labor market balance

The priorities and problems of balancing the supply and demand of the labor force are investigated, the prerequisites and factors of the labor market formation are determined. The role of the employment service bodies in assisting employers in selecting the necessary employees is revealed. The causes and consequences between the creation and preservation of jobs, the state of employment and unemployment are established. Measures to stabilize the employment sector based on the formation of a civilized labor market are proposed.

ANALYSIS OF GOVERNMENT PROVIDING PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICE UNDER THE NEW EMPLOYMENT PATTERN

Employment is the largest livelihood of more than 1.3 billion people and the most basic support for economic development. The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council insist on giving priority to employment in economic and social development, encourage the creation of a favorable environment for mass entrepreneurship and innovation, and maintain overall stability in China's employment situation, coupled with the new employment model of de-employerization and platformization along with the technological progress of the Internet and the upgrading of mass consumption. However, we should also see that there are still many difficulties and problems in the current economic and social development, the new employment form breaks the old industry and legal order under the interest relationship and management norms, the traditional employment groups, management means, labor law system, employment service management, social security policies and so on to form an impact. In order to alleviate the current situation, our country should actively explore the innovative mechanism of the government to provide public services to promote employment, and the author also puts forward some suggestions from the following aspects through his own research: first, to establish the diversified public employment service supply mechanism which is government-led, market and social supplement; from the above aspects, the quality and efficiency of the supply of public employment services under the new industry are improved from the above aspects.