Emma Hollywood

Demographic and labour market change: The dynamics of older workers in the Scottish Labour Market

Abstract This paper presents a review of ageing in the Scottish labour market. Scotlands population structure has been ageing for some decades leading to an ageing of the working population, at a rate ahead of many countries in Europe. Low levels of fertility, increased participation in post-compulsory education and low levels of labour market participation after the age of 50 have further contributed to an anticipated marked future decline in workforce numbers. This ageing of the workforce will mean that in the future Scotland is likely to have to rely on a smaller proportion of its population to provide its services and produce its economic wealth. It also poses a number of questions around the supply of skills and labour for Scottish employers. In particular, with a declining labour force from where will employers draw labour? There are a number of important policy implications; specifically, what are the most effective ways and at what spatial level are the most effective means of addressing labour market ageing in Scotland. The paper examines the demographic context, spatial variations in ageing, the labour market participation of older workers, how current policy is addressing this issue and what should be done.

The role of social networks and geographical location in labour market participation in the UK coalfields

The demise of the coalmining industry has entailed an increased geographical separation of individuals from workplaces, highlighting the importance of understanding the spatial dimension of job search for those living in the coalfields. There has been an increasing interest among labour market researchers on the role of place and social networks in influencing labour market behaviour. A growing body of literature focuses on the importance of social networks in shaping peoples attitudes, behaviour, and decision making—in particular, the links between peoples social sphere and the nature and extent of their participation in the labour market. We aim to examine the area effects of social networks and how these affect labour market position. We will draw on material gathered from a Joseph Rowntree Foundation funded project on the economic, social, and governance links between coalfields and their neighbouring cities. Part of this research was composed of eighty-five interviews carried out with unemployed job seekers across three contrasting coalfields (Lothian, South Yorkshire, and the central Wales valleys). We will focus in particular on the issues of accessing of South Wales jobs, knowledge and experience of the spatial labour market, and the role of social networks in influencing job search and job knowledge.

Operationalisation of the Capability Approach

The holistic and multilayered structure offered by the Capability Approach makes this theoretical framework particularly suitable for conceptualising and contextualising complex socioeconomic phenomena. However, several challenging issues on how to operationalise it are inevitably raised. Extensive and growing empirical applications of the Capability Approach in many fields of investigation show that researchers can meet many of the challenges posed by this approach by adopting various empirical strategies and technical solutions. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the recent empirical literature on capabilities, labour markets and education in Europe, using examples from recent European projects inspired by, or based on, the Capability Approach and offering interesting examples for those who wish to make use of this approach for future investigation in this field.

Capabilities for Voice, Work and Education: Critical Analysis of Programmes for Disadvantaged Young People in Europe.

Additional co-authors: Bettina Haidinger, Ruth Kasper, Jan Duker, Thomas Ley, Gunilla Bergstrom