Project description
The effects of labour market changes on fertility
The ongoing globalisation and rapid technological change have led to unprecedented changes in the world of work. These changes are manifested in increasing demand for skills, massive worker displacement, spread of new work arrangements, increasing work demands and growing inequalities between the low and medium and the highly skilled. They are likely driving the post-crisis fertility decline in the most advanced nations, which is to date not understood. The EU-funded LABFER project will study the impact of these labour market changes on fertility, inquire into the individual mechanisms behind these effects, explore the role of the rising inequalities, and research the role family and employment policies play in mitigating the fertility effects of labour market changes.
Objective
LABFER is the first project that will LABFER is the first project that will comprehensively describe and evaluate fertility consequences of the unprecedented changes in the labour market, caused by digitalisation and globalisation. These changes have been taking place during the last three decades and intensified after the Great Recession. They are reflected in: rising demand for skills, massive worker displacement, spread of new work arrangements, increasing work demands and growing inequalities in labour market prospects between the low-and-medium and the highly skilled. They are likely driving the post-crisis fertility decline in the most advanced nations, which is to date not understood. LABFER is thus highly relevant and timely. It has four main objectives:
1) to study the impact of the ongoing labour market change on fertility (macro-level);
2) to examine the individual-level mechanisms behind the observed macro-level fertility effects of the ongoing labour market change;
3) to investigate the role of the growing inequalities between the low-and-medium and the highly skilled for the relative fertility patterns of the two groups;
4) to study the role of family and employment policies in moderating the fertility effects of the labour market change.
Our methodological approach is innovative. We will link data at several layers of observation (country, region, industry, firm, couple and individual) to account for the policy, work and family context of childbearing. We will also use novel labour market measures to capture the ongoing labour market change. Mixture cure models will be employed to separate the effects of covariates on birth timing and probability that the birth occurs.
LABFER will break the ground by providing understanding of how the dynamic labour market changes are associated with and potentially affect the current and future fertility dynamics and its socio-economic gradients. It will also have implications for family and employment policies.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-COG - Consolidator GrantHost institution
00-927 WARSZAWA
Poland