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Jobs in Global Value Chains : New Evidence for Four African Countries in International Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Pahl,Stefan
  • Timmer,Marcel Peter
  • Gouma,Reitze
  • Woltjer,Pieter J.

Abstract

What is the potential for job growth in Africa under participation in global value chains (GVCs)? In this study the concept of GVC jobs is introduced which tracks the number of jobs associated with GVC production of goods. A novel decomposition approach is used to account for GVC jobs by three proximate sources: global demand for final goods, a country's GVC competitiveness (measured as the country's share in serving global demand) and technology (workers needed per unit of output). Based on newly assembled data, it is shown how GVC jobs and incomes have changed over the period 2000-14 in Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal and South Africa, compared to developments in some other low- and middle-income countries in the world. The four African countries stand out in terms of a low share of GVC jobs in the (formal) manufacturing sector, and a relatively high share in agriculture due to strong backward linkages, especially in the case of food production. All countries benefitted highly from growing global demand for final goods. At the same time it appears that technical change in GVCs is biased against the use of labour, greatly diminishing the potential for job growth through GVC participation.

Suggested Citation

  • Pahl,Stefan & Timmer,Marcel Peter & Gouma,Reitze & Woltjer,Pieter J., 2019. "Jobs in Global Value Chains : New Evidence for Four African Countries in International Perspective," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8953, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:8953
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Owusu, Solomon, 2021. "Powering structural transformation and productivity gains in Africa: The role of global value chains and resource endowments," MERIT Working Papers 2021-022, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    2. Mensah, Emmanuel B., 2020. "Is sub-Saharan Africa deindustrializing?," MERIT Working Papers 2020-045, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    3. Lorenzo Cresti & Giovanni Dosi & Federico Riccio & Maria Enrica Virgillito, 2023. "Italy and the Trap of GVC Downgrading: Labour Dependence in the European Geography of Production," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 9(3), pages 869-906, November.
    4. Hagen Kruse & Emmanuel Mensah & Kunal Sen & Gaaitzen Vries, 2023. "A Manufacturing (Re)Naissance? Industrialization in the Developing World," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 71(2), pages 439-473, June.
    5. Stefan Pahl & Clara Brandi & Jakob Schwab & Frederik Stender, 2022. "Cling together, swing together: The contagious effects of COVID‐19 on developing countries through global value chains," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 539-560, February.
    6. Ilaria Fusacchia & Jean Balié & Luca Salvatici, 2022. "The AfCFTA impact on agricultural and food trade: a value added perspective," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 49(1), pages 237-284.
    7. Jeffrey Kouton & Sulpice Amonle, 2021. "Global value chains, labor productivity, and inclusive growth in Africa: empirical evidence from heterogeneous panel methods," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 23(1), pages 1-23, June.
    8. Pahl, Stefan & Brandi, Clara & Schwab, Jakob & Stender, Frederik, 2020. "Cling together, swing together: The contagious effects of COVID-19 on developing countries through global value chains," IDOS Discussion Papers 21/2020, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    9. Lorenzo Cresti & Maria Enrica Virgillito, 2023. "Weak sectors and weak ties? Labour dependence and asymmetric positioning in GVCs," LEM Papers Series 2023/10, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.

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