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Le cause del (l’in-)successo lavorativo dei giovani
[The determinants of youth success in the labour market]

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  • Caroleo, Floro Ernesto
  • Pastore, Francesco

Abstract

This paper suggests that the insufficient work experience of young people as compared to adults is the major cause of the hardship the former experience in the labour market both in terms of employment and wages. Economists are bewildered as to the determinants of and as to the ways to cure the youth experience gap. Most of them believe that the market should solve youth hardship by offering them: a) a lower than average entry wage able to mirror their lower productivity level; b) increasing labour market flexibility so as to allow them to move more easily from one job the next until they have found the best one for them; c) and, in particular, temporary work, considered as the only way to allow them to acquire the work experience they actually need. Other observers, instead, criticize entry flexibility and temporary work. The former works only if accompanied by additional instruments, otherwise it favours only those people who already have a greater level of motivation and skill. Temporary work allows accumulating only generic, not job specific work experience. The solution is a policy mix whereas labour market flexibility is accompanied by a more efficient and even education and training system and on the duality principle. This is shown in the second part of the paper by building a classification of EU regimes by type of school-to-work transition institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Caroleo, Floro Ernesto & Pastore, Francesco, 2009. "Le cause del (l’in-)successo lavorativo dei giovani [The determinants of youth success in the labour market]," MPRA Paper 14218, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:14218
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    Cited by:

    1. Olga Demidova & Marcello Signorelli, 2010. "The Impact of Crises on Youth Unemployment of Russian Regions: An Empirical Analysis," Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia, Finanza e Statistica 78/2010, Università di Perugia, Dipartimento Economia.
    2. Caroleo, Floro Ernesto, 2012. "Il difficile passaggio verso il lavoro dei giovani che lasciano la scuola: quali possibili politiche? [The hard access to the labour market of youth leaving school: what policy choices?]," MPRA Paper 37645, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Giovanni S.F. Bruno & Floro E. Caroleo & Orietta Dessy, 2013. "Stepping stones versus dead end jobs: exits from temporary contracts in Italy after the 2003 reform," Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Sociali, Vita e Pensiero, Pubblicazioni dell'Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, vol. 121(1), pages 31-62.
    4. Floro Ernesto Caroleo & Elvira Ciociano & Sergio Destefanis, 2017. "Youth Labour-Market Performance, Institutions and Vet Systems: A Cross-Country Analysis," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 3(1), pages 39-69, March.
    5. Floro Ernesto Caroleo & Elvira Ciociano & Sergio Destefanis, 2017. "The role of the education systems and the labour market institutions in enhancing youth employment: a cross-country analysis," Discussion Papers 1_2017, CRISEI, University of Naples "Parthenope", Italy.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Youth Unemployment; Youth Experience Gap; Temporary Work; Flexicurity; Lisbon Strategy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education

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