Labour Markets

Firms in developing countries are infamous for their poor working conditions—often justified in the name of productivity. A new research review, however, finds that improving working conditions not only benefits workers but can also enhances firm productivity.

Have vocational training programmes in low- and middle-income countries been an effective development intervention?

Robot adoption has skyrocketed in China in the last decade. New research finds that this exposure has led to a decline in employment and wages, influencing workers’ training and retirement decisions. How can developing countries prepare themselves fo...

Artificial Intelligence, particularly Generative AI, is rapidly transforming labour markets worldwide. While its adoption has sparked optimism about its potential to spur productivity gains, it also raises concerns of widespread job displacement. The...

The rise of industrial robots in China has significantly improved worker safety, leading to fewer workplace accidents, injuries, and fatalities.

Temporary managerial jobs in the Dominican Republic pushed individuals into business creation and led to positive effects on firm growth. Policymakers need to balance broad access to these opportunities with focused support to maximise firm creation ...

In Ecuador, royalties from oil extraction have increased average educational attainment and generated good jobs in the formal sector, despite reducing incentives to pursue tertiary education.

Recent evidence offers reasons to be a little more optimistic about job training and intermediation programmes, but there remain some reasons for caution

Job-search networks can be weakened by labour market interventions, such as job-search assistance, which can have adverse consequences for individuals who do not receive assistance