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The Growth–Employment–Poverty Nexus in Africa

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  • Gary S Fields

Abstract

This paper focuses on employment and the labour market as a key mechanism leading from growth to poverty reduction in Africa. Given that the development goals are economy-wide outcomes—less poverty, shared prosperity, more and better job opportunities, etc.—the required analysis must be at the market level. Individual-level analysis is not enough. The paper brings together insights from labour economics and from development economics. It draws upon Fields’ work over decades at the intersection of these two fields. A concluding section presents suggestions for policy analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Gary S Fields, 2023. "The Growth–Employment–Poverty Nexus in Africa," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 32(Supplemen), pages 147-163.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jafrec:v:32:y:2023:i:supplement_2:p:ii147-ii163.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jae/ejac046
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Acemoglu, Daron, 2001. "Good Jobs versus Bad Jobs," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 19(1), pages 1-21, January.
    2. Fields, Gary S., 2012. "Working Hard, Working Poor: A Global Journey," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199794645.
    3. Gindling, T.H. & Newhouse, David, 2014. "Self-Employment in the Developing World," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 313-331.
    4. McMillan, Margaret & Rodrik, Dani & Verduzco-Gallo, Íñigo, 2014. "Globalization, Structural Change, and Productivity Growth, with an Update on Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 11-32.
    5. George Psacharopoulos & Harry Anthony Patrinos, 2018. "Returns to investment in education: a decennial review of the global literature," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(5), pages 445-458, September.
    6. Arndt, Channing & McKay, Andy & Tarp, Finn (ed.), 2016. "Growth and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198744795.
    7. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2019. "Automation and New Tasks: How Technology Displaces and Reinstates Labor," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 33(2), pages 3-30, Spring.
    8. Jacob A. Mincer, 1974. "Introduction to "Schooling, Experience, and Earnings"," NBER Chapters, in: Schooling, Experience, and Earnings, pages 1-4, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
    10. Fosu, Augustin Kwasi, 2017. "Growth, inequality, and poverty reduction in developing countries: Recent global evidence," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 306-336.
    11. Jacob A. Mincer, 1974. "Schooling, Experience, and Earnings," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number minc74-1, January-J.
    12. Kathleen Beegle & Luc Christiaensen & Andrew Dabalen & Isis Gaddis, 2016. "Poverty in a Rising Africa," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 22575, April.
    13. Sen, Amartya, 1997. "On Economic Inequality," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198292975.
    14. Ravallion, Martin, 2016. "The Economics of Poverty: History, Measurement, and Policy," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780190212773.
    15. Gary S. Fields, 2019. "Self-employment and poverty in developing countries," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-60, March.
    16. Erik Thorbecke, 2013. "The Interrelationship Linking Growth, Inequality and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 22(suppl_1), pages -48, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Umer Zaman & Joshua Chukwuma Onwe & Pabitra Kumar Jena & Ogochukwu C. Anyanwu & Joy Eleojo Ebeh & Obonetse Fulu, 2023. "Unraveling the intricate relationship between unemployment, population, and poverty in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Does quality of life matter?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(5), pages 3930-3945, October.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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