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'Young In, Old Out' Revisited: New Patterns of Employment Replacement in the Italian Economy

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  • Bruno Contini
  • Fabio Rapiti

Abstract

This paper, based largely on data from the Italian social security (INPS) records, shows that recent employment trends in Italy have been marked by large job and worker turnover and a new and strong process of renewal and substitution of labour in industry. Entries of young workers have shown a remarkable increase, mainly through the application of work and training contracts ('contratti di formazione e lavoro') that provide firms with a means to cut labour costs. Meanwhile many workers in their 40s with considerable seniority, but still perfectly fit to go on working, found themselves squeezed out. The exit of this generation of mature workers was eased through subsidised early retirement, golden handshakes and a wide application of the 'cassa integrazione guadagni' (wage supplementation fund). This pattern of labour force replacement in industrial production, described as 'young in, old out', is at odds with the frequent ranking of Italy among the industrial countries hampered by rigid labour markets and questions theories of unemployment based on 'insider-outsider' hypotheses.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno Contini & Fabio Rapiti, 1999. "'Young In, Old Out' Revisited: New Patterns of Employment Replacement in the Italian Economy," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 395-415.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:irapec:v:13:y:1999:i:3:p:395-415
    DOI: 10.1080/026921799101607
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Pietro Checcucci, 2019. "The Silver Innovation. Older workers characteristics and digitalisation of the economy," Working Papers 0040, ASTRIL - Associazione Studi e Ricerche Interdisciplinari sul Lavoro.
    2. Luca Zanin & Raffaella Calabrese, 2017. "Interaction effects of region-level GDP per capita and age on labour market transition rates in Italy," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-29, December.
    3. Michela Bia & Roberto Leombruni & Pierre-Jean Messe, 2009. "Young in-Old out: a new evaluation based on Generalized Propensity Score," LABORatorio R. Revelli Working Papers Series 93, LABORatorio R. Revelli, Centre for Employment Studies.
    4. Francesco Devicienti & Andrea Borgarello, 2001. "Trends in the Italian Earnings Distribution, 1985-1996," LABORatorio R. Revelli Working Papers Series 2, LABORatorio R. Revelli, Centre for Employment Studies.
    5. Bruno Contini & Federico Revelli, 2004. "On the Welfare Effect of a Wage Subsidy on Youth Labor: Italy’s CFL Program," LABORatorio R. Revelli Working Papers Series 36, LABORatorio R. Revelli, Centre for Employment Studies.
    6. Annamaria Simonazzi & Paola Villa, 1999. "Flexibility and Growth," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 281-311.
    7. Bruno Contini & Roberto Leombruni, 2006. "From work to retirement: a tale of bumpy routes," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 359-378.
    8. Sarit Cohen-Goldner & M. Daniele Paserman, 2006. "Mass Migration to Israel and Natives' Employment Transitions," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 59(4), pages 630-652, July.

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