Nonstandard Forms and Measures of Employment and Unemployment in Transition: A Comparative Study of Estonia, Romania, and Russia

Upjohn Institute Staff Working Paper No. 06-127

Comparative Economic Studies, Forthcoming

35 Pages Posted: 13 Jul 2006

See all articles by John S. Earle

John S. Earle

George Mason University - Schar School of Policy and Government; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

J. David Brown

US Census Bureau Center for Economic Studies; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Vladimir Gimpelson

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Rostislav Kapeliushnikov

National Research University Higher School of Economics; Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations

Hartmut Lehmann

University of Bologna - School of Economics, Management, and Statistics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Almos Telegdy

Corvinus University of Budapest; Magyar Nemzeti Bank

Irina Vantu

CEU Labor Project

Ruxandra Visan

CEU Labor Project

Alexandru Voicu

City University of New York (CUNY) - College of Staten Island; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Abstract

This paper looks behind the standard, publicly available labor force statistics relied upon in most studies of transition economy labor markets. We analyze microdata on detailed labor force survey responses in Russia, Romania, and Estonia to measure nonstandard, boundary forms and alternative definitions of employment and unemployment. Our calculations show that measured rates are quite sensitive to definition, particularly in the treatment of household production (subsistence agriculture), unpaid family helpers, and discouraged workers, while the categories of part-time work and other forms of marginal attachment are still relatively unimportant. We find that tweaking the official definitions in apparently minor ways can produce alternative employment rates that are sharply higher in Russia but much lower in Romania and slightly lower in Estonia, and alternative unemployment rates that are sharply higher in Romania and moderately higher in Estonia and Russia.

Keywords: transition, nonstandard, data, unemployment, Russia, Romania, Estonia

JEL Classification: J21

Suggested Citation

Earle, John S. and Brown, J. David and Gimpelson, Vladimir and Kapeliushnikov, Rostislav and Lehmann, Hartmut F. and Telegdy, Almos and Vantu, Irina and Visan, Ruxandra and Voicu, Alexandru, Nonstandard Forms and Measures of Employment and Unemployment in Transition: A Comparative Study of Estonia, Romania, and Russia. Upjohn Institute Staff Working Paper No. 06-127, Comparative Economic Studies, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=907481

John S. Earle (Contact Author)

George Mason University - Schar School of Policy and Government ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://earle.gmu.edu

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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J. David Brown

US Census Bureau Center for Economic Studies ( email )

4600 Silver Hill Road
Washington, DC 20233
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301-763-8769 (Phone)
301-763-5935 (Fax)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Vladimir Gimpelson

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow) ( email )

Myasnitskaya street, 20
Moscow, Moscow 119017
Russia

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Rostislav Kapeliushnikov

National Research University Higher School of Economics ( email )

Myasnitskaya street, 20
Moscow, Moscow 119017
Russia

Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations ( email )

Profsouznaya St., 23
Moscow GSP-7, 117997
Russia

Hartmut F. Lehmann

University of Bologna - School of Economics, Management, and Statistics ( email )

Piazza Scaravilli 1
40126 Bologna, fc 47100
Italy

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Almos Telegdy

Corvinus University of Budapest ( email )

Hungary

Magyar Nemzeti Bank ( email )

Szabadsag ter 8-9
Budapest, H-1850
Hungary

Irina Vantu

CEU Labor Project ( email )

Budapest, 1051
Hungary

Ruxandra Visan

CEU Labor Project ( email )

Budapest, 1051
Hungary

Alexandru Voicu

City University of New York (CUNY) - College of Staten Island ( email )

NY
United States
718-982-2899 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/~pep/voicu.htm

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany
+49 228 38 94 527 (Phone)
+49 228 38 94 510 (Fax)

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