Human capital and labour market disparities
Date
2018-10-15
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Abstract
Käesolev doktoritöö lähtub levinud arvamusest, et tööhõivealase edukuse ja eriti palgataseme peamised määrajad on konkreetsed oskused, pädevused ja teadmised, mis koonduvad üldmõiste „inimkapital“ alla. Muidugi on inimkapital rahvastikus heterogeenne nähtus, sest inimestel on erinev haridustase ning erinevad võimed ja võimalused, mis sõltuvad suuresti loomusest, isiksusest või välisteguritest. Mitme omaduse puhul tulevad inimkapitali(st tingitud palga)lõhed aga eriti selgelt esile. Doktoritöö keskendub kolmele sellisele omadusele ja vastavatele elanikkonnarühmadele: soole (mehed versus naised), rahvuslikule kuuluvusele (sisserännanud versus põliselanikud) ning välismaal töötamise kogemusele (kodumaale tagasipöördunud versus need, kel välismaal töötamise kogemus puudub). Igas fookusgrupis dokumenteeriti eelnevalt drastilised palgalõhed, mis olid suuresti tingitud inimkapitali erinevustest.
Nelja empiirilist juhtumiuuringut hõlmava doktoritöö eesmärk on aidata paremini aru saada siiani vähe uuritud ja ka täiesti uute inimkapitali mõõtmete mõjust püsivatele palgaerinevustele igas rühmas. I uuring pöörab erilist tähelepanu kognitiivsetele võimetele kirja- ja arvutusoskuse ning probleemide lahendamise alal tehnoloogiarikkas keskkonnas ning nende soospetsiifilistele kombinatsioonidele, selgitamaks meeste ja naiste palgalõhet Eestis. II ja III uuring käsitlevad kirja- ja arvutusoskuse rolli ning töös kasutamist kui etnilise palgalõhe põhjustajat Euroopas. IV uuring dokumenteerib Eestisse tagasipöördunute välismaal töötamise kogemuse mõju palgale, võrreldes nendega, kellel välismaal töötamise kogemus puudub.
Doktoritöö peamine leid on, et inimkapitali ja palgataseme vahel puudub selge seos. Rikkalik inimkapital ei tähenda tingimata kõrget palka. Uurimuse tulemustest selgub, et inimkapitali „tasuvus“ tööturul sõltub erinevatest kontekstipõhistest teguritest, näiteks eelistustest, isikuomadustest ning meeste ja naiste erinevatest soorollidest; etniliste vähemuste versus enamuse võrgustikest, sotsiaalsest kaasatusest ja motivatsioonist; kodumaale tagasipöördunute versus paiksena püsinute sotsiaalsetest sidemetest ja mittekognitiivsetest oskustest. Lisaks muutub produktiivne inimkapital üha olulisemaks ja selle kasutamise intensiivsus on palgataseme ja karjääri edenemise puhul määrava tähtsusega. Seega jõuab doktoritöö järeldusele, et edasine uurimistöö peaks arendama teoreetilisi mudeleid, mis hõlmaksid vastavaid kontekstipõhiseid tegureid ning rõhutaksid produktiivsete oskuste ja teadmiste tähtsust.
This thesis grounds on the well-known notion that individual skills, competencies, and knowledge, united by the concept “human capital”, are the key determinants of employment success and, particularly, wage level. Obviously, human capital is heterogeneous across population, as people hold different education levels, attain different abilities, and have varying capabilities, largely determined by nature, personality, or external factors. These human capital gaps are especially pronounced along several characteristics. This thesis focuses on three such characteristics and respective population groups, namely gender (men vs. women), ethnicity (immigrants vs. natives) and foreign labour market experience (return migrants vs. those, who did not work abroad). In each focus group drastic wage gaps, largely attributed to the human capital differences, were previously documented. The aim of this thesis, as a collection of four empirical case-studies, is to contribute to better understanding of previously understudied, as well as completely novel dimensions of human capital, on persistent wage differences within each of the groups. The special focus of the study I is the cognitive abilities in literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology rich environment, as well as the gender-specific combinations of those, in explaining men-women wage gap in Estonia. Studies II and III explore the role of literacy and numeracy skills, and their use at work in shaping ethnic wage gap in Europe. Study IV documents wage effect of foreign work experience, acquired by return migrants in Estonia, as compared to their peers, who did not work abroad. The common finding of the thesis is that association between human capital and wage is not obvious. Rich human capital does not necessarily translate into high wages. The results of this thesis suggest that various contextual factors determine whether human capital “pays off” in the labour market. For instance, such factors as preferences, personal traits, and gender roles in case of men vs. women; networks, social inclusion, and motivation in case of ethnic minorities vs. majority; social ties and non-cognitive skills in the context of return migrants vs. non-migrants. Moreover, productive human capital becomes increasingly important and the intensity of its use is decisive for wage level and career progression. Hence, the thesis guides to the conclusion that further research should develop theoretical models, incorporating relevant contextual factors and emphasising productive skills and knowledge.
This thesis grounds on the well-known notion that individual skills, competencies, and knowledge, united by the concept “human capital”, are the key determinants of employment success and, particularly, wage level. Obviously, human capital is heterogeneous across population, as people hold different education levels, attain different abilities, and have varying capabilities, largely determined by nature, personality, or external factors. These human capital gaps are especially pronounced along several characteristics. This thesis focuses on three such characteristics and respective population groups, namely gender (men vs. women), ethnicity (immigrants vs. natives) and foreign labour market experience (return migrants vs. those, who did not work abroad). In each focus group drastic wage gaps, largely attributed to the human capital differences, were previously documented. The aim of this thesis, as a collection of four empirical case-studies, is to contribute to better understanding of previously understudied, as well as completely novel dimensions of human capital, on persistent wage differences within each of the groups. The special focus of the study I is the cognitive abilities in literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology rich environment, as well as the gender-specific combinations of those, in explaining men-women wage gap in Estonia. Studies II and III explore the role of literacy and numeracy skills, and their use at work in shaping ethnic wage gap in Europe. Study IV documents wage effect of foreign work experience, acquired by return migrants in Estonia, as compared to their peers, who did not work abroad. The common finding of the thesis is that association between human capital and wage is not obvious. Rich human capital does not necessarily translate into high wages. The results of this thesis suggest that various contextual factors determine whether human capital “pays off” in the labour market. For instance, such factors as preferences, personal traits, and gender roles in case of men vs. women; networks, social inclusion, and motivation in case of ethnic minorities vs. majority; social ties and non-cognitive skills in the context of return migrants vs. non-migrants. Moreover, productive human capital becomes increasingly important and the intensity of its use is decisive for wage level and career progression. Hence, the thesis guides to the conclusion that further research should develop theoretical models, incorporating relevant contextual factors and emphasising productive skills and knowledge.
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Keywords
human capital, labour market, employment opportunities, inequality, salary differences, nationality, gender wage gap, Estonia, Europe