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Implications of the changing nature of work for employment and inequality in Ghana

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  • Carlos Gradín
  • Simone Schotte

Abstract

In this paper, we analyse the role of the changing nature of occupational employment and wages in explaining the trend in earnings inequality in Ghana between 2006 and 2017, a period in which there was a substantial transformation of the economy, with workers moving out of agriculture and generally taking more-skilled and less-routine jobs in services, in a context of a stagnant manufacturing sector and an oil-based expansion. We show that there was an initial decline in earnings inequality which is best explained by the fall in the skill premium that followed the expansion of education.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Gradín & Simone Schotte, 2020. "Implications of the changing nature of work for employment and inequality in Ghana," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-119, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2020-119
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Piotr Lewandowski & Albert Park & Wojciech Hardy & Yang Du & Saier Wu, 2022. "Technology, Skills, and Globalization: Explaining International Differences in Routine and Nonroutine Work Using Survey Data," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 36(3), pages 687-708.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nunbogu, Abraham Marshall & Elliott, Susan J. & Bisung, Elijah, 2023. "I feel the pains of our past water struggles anytime I turn on the tap: Diaspora perceptions and experiences of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) gendered violence in Ghana," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).

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    Keywords

    Skills; Tasks; Occupations; Wages; Earnings inequality; Ghana;
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