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Job Search and the Measurement of Unemployment in South Africa

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  • Dorrit Posel
  • Daniela Casale
  • Claire Vermaak

Abstract

We interrogate the distinction between searching and non-searching unemployment in South Africa using data from the first national panel survey that tracks the individual. In particular, we test whether the non-searching unemployed display a weaker commitment to the labour market than the searching unemployed, and we investigate what counts as search activity. We find that over the panel, the search status of the unemployed does not predict their subsequent employment status, a result that is robust also for subsamples that vary by age cohort, gender and location. Moreover, social networks are the most important job-finding strategy of the employed. These findings challenge the exclusion of the non-searching unemployed from the measure of “genuine” work seekers.

Suggested Citation

  • Dorrit Posel & Daniela Casale & Claire Vermaak, 2014. "Job Search and the Measurement of Unemployment in South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 82(1), pages 66-80, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:sajeco:v:82:y:2014:i:1:p:66-80
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/saje.12035
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Grzybowski Lukasz & Patel Zubair Maghmood, 2023. "The Impact of Mobile Phones on Change in Employment Status in South Africa," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 22(2), pages 85-114, August.
    2. Sharp, Matthew, 2021. "The labour market impacts of female internal migration: Evidence from the end of Apartheid," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    3. Dorrit Posel & Janet Bruce-Brand, 2021. "‘Only a Housewife?’ Subjective Well-Being and Homemaking in South Africa," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 323-342, January.

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