Philip D. Murphy

Unemployment among Britain's Ethnic Minorities

Using a sample of over 100,000 males from the Labour Force Survey, this paper explores the employment prospects of different ethnic groups. There are significant differences across groups so that discrimination studies that consider ethnic minorities as one homogeneous group involve a large degree of approximation. The paper pays particular attention to the considerable differences between the Indian and Pakistani/Bangladeshi groups. It argues that the differences are not the result of different levels of discrimination by the White majority, rather the predominately Muslim Pakistani/Bangladeshi community is less assimilated compared with other ethnic minority groups. Copyright 1999 by Blackwell Publishers Ltd and The Victoria University of Manchester

A Picture of Male and Female Unemployment among Britain's Ethnic Minorities

Using a sample of around one million observations from the 1991 Census, the paper investigates unemployment differences across Britains ethnic minorities. Unemployment differences are not simply the result of characteristic differences or discrimination by the white majority. There are equally wide differences in female unemployment rates, compared with males, between the white majority and the non-white ethnic minorities. Unemployment rates among the British born tend to be considerably higher than foreign born, but this is accounted for by characteristic differences. Thus there is no evidence that the British born are actually doing worse, but they do not seem to be becoming better assimilated either. Coauthors are Stephen Drinkwater, Derek Leslie, and Philip Murphy. Copyright 1997 by Scottish Economic Society.

Is There a Public Sector Training Advantage? Evidence from the Workplace Employment Relations Survey

Using matched employer–employee data from the Workplace Employment Relations Survey (2004), we find a significant training ‘advantage’ exists for public sector workers over private sector workers even after accounting for differences in the composition of the two workforces. This finding is robust to all but one change in specification, designed to account for worker sorting effects which can lead to unobserved workplace‐based effects being correlated with individual worker characteristics. Using the average characteristics of workers within an establishment as a control for these sorting effects all but eliminates the estimated public sector training advantage, which has otherwise been an empirical regularity of many individual‐based training models.

Graduate earnings in Great Britain: a matter of degree?

In this paper we show that whilst there appear to be substantial private earnings gains to be had from a university education, these are greater for women than they are for men. Due to substantial asymmetries in post-graduation earnings performance, choice of subject is more important for men.

Union membership, collective bargaining coverage and the trade union mark-up for Britain

Abstract This paper estimates the union mark-up using British General Household Survey data. The wage gap is decomposed both for the mean and the variance of the earnings distribution. The results indicate that the union mark up is larger than previously estimated and that structural effects account for a major part of the differences that are found in the earnings distributions of covered union members, covered non-unionists and uncovered non-unionists.

Labour market segmentation: a local labour market analysis using alternative approaches

Earlier studies have generally attempted to establish the presence or otherwise of labour market segmentation using a single technique. Using data drawn form the British Social and Economic Life initiative (SCELI) for six local labour markets this paper tests for segmentation using four different methods of analysis (a simple career/non-career model, cluster analysis and switching regressions). The results in general suggest that explanatory power is not improved by analysing the labour market in different segments. But this simple career model points to higher rewards for given characteristics in the career sector and the results of the switching regression model are consistent with duality in one of the six markets.

Employment in Manufacturing: A Long‐run Relationship and Short‐run Dynamics

Examines the behaviour of UK employment in manufacturing over the period 1964 to 1986. The use of cointegration techniques allows the separation of a long‐run equilibrium relationship for employment from its short‐run dynamics. The estimated model demonstrates a high degree of parameter stability both within and outwith the sample period used for estimation. Given the noted sensitivity of other employment equations to system shocks, the model′s performance pre – and post‐1979 is particularly noteworthy.

Ethnic differences in labour market transitions: an exploration using the British household panel survey

The paper uses the first five waves of the British Household Panel Survey to explore the dynamics of the labour market experience of Britains ethnic minorities relative to the white majority. The issue to be explored is labour market transitions. Ethnic minorities are shown to exhibit greater volatility. Only panel data can reveal this important labour market effect. Overall, the British Household Panel Survey should be seen as a useful addition to increasing our knowledge of Britains ethnic minorities.

Regional pay? The public/private sector pay differential

ABSTRACT Regional pay? The public/private sector pay differential. Regional Studies. This paper extends the debate on making public sector wages more responsive to those in the private sector. The way in which the public/private sector wage differential is calculated dramatically alters conclusions, and far from there being substantial regional disparity in wages offered to public sector workers, any differences are predominantly concentrated in London and the South East where public sector workers are significantly disadvantaged relative to private sector workers. This has implications for staff recruitment and retention. Such findings question the need for regional market-facing pay, but highlight the necessity to revisit the London-weighting offered to public sector workers.