IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/ecsysr/v27y2015i4p415-439.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Labour Footprint: A Framework To Assess Labour In A Complex Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Jorge Gómez-Paredes
  • Eiji Yamasue
  • Hideyuki Okumura
  • Keiichi N. Ishihara

Abstract

As addressing labour becomes crucial in the move towards sustainability, there is the need for assessment tools suitable for current complex economic systems. This article presents an input--output based framework (‘labour footprint’) for evaluating labour issues behind the production of different economic commodities, including entire supply chains. In line with the guidelines of the International Labour Organization, six labour issues are considered: collective bargaining, forced labour, child labour, gender inequality, hazardous work, and social security. This conceptual article sets to (a) define this footprint's labour dimensions, (b) cite relevant data sources, (c) describe its calculation, (d) illustrate its application through a case study, and (e) discuss this framework's relevance from ‘conscious consumption’, ‘supply chain responsibility’, and regulators' standpoints. Since it advances the evaluation of fundamental labour issues and the scope of multi-criteria analyses, this footprint may be a valuable tool for sustainability assessments.

Suggested Citation

  • Jorge Gómez-Paredes & Eiji Yamasue & Hideyuki Okumura & Keiichi N. Ishihara, 2015. "The Labour Footprint: A Framework To Assess Labour In A Complex Economy," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(4), pages 415-439, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ecsysr:v:27:y:2015:i:4:p:415-439
    DOI: 10.1080/09535314.2014.998173
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/09535314.2014.998173
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/09535314.2014.998173?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Turner, Karen & Lenzen, Manfred & Wiedmann, Thomas & Barrett, John, 2007. "Examining the global environmental impact of regional consumption activities -- Part 1: A technical note on combining input-output and ecological footprint analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 37-44, April.
    2. Starr, Martha A., 2009. "The social economics of ethical consumption: Theoretical considerations and empirical evidence," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 916-925, December.
    3. Srivastava, Ravi S., 2005. "Bonded labour in India : its incidence and pattern," ILO Working Papers 993779363402676, International Labour Organization.
    4. Tania Bucic & Jennifer Harris & Denni Arli, 2012. "Ethical Consumers Among the Millennials: A Cross-National Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 110(1), pages 113-131, September.
    5. Wiedmann, Thomas & Wilting, Harry C. & Lenzen, Manfred & Lutter, Stephan & Palm, Viveka, 2011. "Quo Vadis MRIO? Methodological, data and institutional requirements for multi-region input-output analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(11), pages 1937-1945, September.
    6. repec:ilo:ilowps:377936 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Halliki Kreinin & Ernest Aigner, 2022. "From “Decent work and economic growth” to “Sustainable work and economic degrowth”: a new framework for SDG 8," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 49(2), pages 281-311, May.
    2. Rosa Duarte & Cristina Sarasa & Mònica Serrano, 2019. "Structural change and female participation in recent economic growth: a multisectoral analysis for the Spanish economy," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(4), pages 574-593, October.
    3. Ángela García-Alaminos & Fabio Monsalve & Jorge Zafrilla & Maria-Angeles Cadarso, 2020. "Unmasking social distant damage of developed regions’ lifestyle: A decoupling analysis of the indecent labour footprint," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Seksan Papong & Norihiro Itsubo & Yuya Ono & Pomthong Malakul, 2016. "Development of Social Intensity Database Using Asian International Input–Output Table for Social Life Cycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-25, November.
    5. Seksan Papong & Norihiro Itsubo & Pomthong Malakul & Masanori Shukuya, 2015. "Development of the Social Inventory Database in Thailand Using Input–Output Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-30, June.
    6. Timon Bohn & Steven Brakman & Erik Dietzenbacher, 2019. "Who's afraid of Virginia WU? The labor composition and labor gains of trade," CESifo Working Paper Series 7527, CESifo.
    7. Giovanni Marin & Roberto Zoboli, 2016. "The integrated economic and environmental footprint of the EU: domestic and global effects of a transition to services," SEEDS Working Papers 0816, SEEDS, Sustainability Environmental Economics and Dynamics Studies, revised Aug 2016.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yulei Xie & Ling Ji & Beibei Zhang & Gordon Huang, 2018. "Evolution of the Scientific Literature on Input–Output Analysis: A Bibliometric Analysis of 1990–2017," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Andrzej Torój, 2016. "Regional Economic Impact Assessment with Missing Input-Output Data: A Spatial Econometrics Approach for Poland," Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, vol. 8(2), pages 61-91, June.
    3. Sato, Misato, 2014. "Product level embodied carbon flows in bilateral trade," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 106-117.
    4. Caggiani, Leonardo & Ottomanelli, Michele & Dell’Orco, Mauro, 2014. "Handling uncertainty in Multi Regional Input-Output models by entropy maximization and fuzzy programming," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 159-172.
    5. Hermannsson, Kristinn & McIntyre, Stuart G., 2014. "Local consumption and territorial based accounting for CO2 emissions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 1-11.
    6. Shaojian Qu & Hao Cai & Dandan Xu & Nabé Mohamed, 2021. "Uncertainty in the prediction and management of CO2 emissions: a robust minimum entropy approach," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 107(3), pages 2419-2438, July.
    7. Andrzej Toroj, 2018. "Generation of regional input-output tables: a spatial econometric approach with illustrative simulations for France,Germany and Poland," KAE Working Papers 2018-037, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of Economic Analysis.
    8. Zhang, Zengkai & Guo, Ju'e & Hewings, Geoffrey J.D., 2014. "The effects of direct trade within China on regional and national CO2 emissions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 161-175.
    9. Dolter, Brett & Victor, Peter A., 2016. "Casting a long shadow: Demand-based accounting of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions responsibility," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 156-164.
    10. Thomas Wiedmann & Heinz Schandl & Daniel Moran, 2015. "The footprint of using metals: new metrics of consumption and productivity," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 17(3), pages 369-388, July.
    11. Birch, Dawn & Memery, Juliet & De Silva Kanakaratne, Maheshan, 2018. "The mindful consumer: Balancing egoistic and altruistic motivations to purchase local food," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 221-228.
    12. Guo, Ju’e & Zhang, Zengkai & Meng, Lei, 2012. "China’s provincial CO2 emissions embodied in international and interprovincial trade," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 486-497.
    13. Henders, Sabine & Ostwald, Madelene, 2014. "Accounting methods for international land-related leakage and distant deforestation drivers," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 21-28.
    14. Banie Naser Outchiri & Jie He, 2020. "Technical gap, trade partners and product mix evolution: how trading with China affects global CO2 emissions," Cahiers de recherche 20-07, Departement d'économique de l'École de gestion à l'Université de Sherbrooke.
    15. Mark Meyer & Martin Distelkamp & Gerd Ahlert & Prof. Dr. Bernd Meyer, 2013. "Macroeconomic Modelling of the Global Economy-Energy-Environment Nexus - An Overview of Recent Advancements of the Dynamic Simulation Model GINFORS," GWS Discussion Paper Series 13-5, GWS - Institute of Economic Structures Research.
    16. Thomas Wiedmann, 2017. "An input–output virtual laboratory in practice – survey of uptake, usage and applications of the first operational IELab," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(2), pages 296-312, April.
    17. Arik Levinson, 2009. "Technology, International Trade, and Pollution from US Manufacturing," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(5), pages 2177-2192, December.
    18. Kucukvar, Murat & Haider, Muhammad Ali & Onat, Nuri Cihat, 2017. "Exploring the material footprints of national electricity production scenarios until 2050: The case for Turkey and UK," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 251-263.
    19. Yuru Guan & Jin Yan & Yuli Shan & Yannan Zhou & Ye Hang & Ruoqi Li & Yu Liu & Binyuan Liu & Qingyun Nie & Benedikt Bruckner & Kuishuang Feng & Klaus Hubacek, 2023. "Burden of the global energy price crisis on households," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 8(3), pages 304-316, March.
    20. Christopher Jeffords, 2014. "Preference-directed regulation when ethical environmental policy choices are formed with limited information," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 573-606, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:ecsysr:v:27:y:2015:i:4:p:415-439. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/CESR20 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.