Labor Intermediation Services in Developing Economies: Adapting Employment Services for a Global Age - Paperback

by Jacqueline Mazza (Author)

Employment the only true exit out of poverty for the poor is finally in the spotlight as a key policy for 21rst century development (see WDR 2013, Fields, 2012). Much of what is written about employment policy and jobs, however, is descriptive and borrows heavily from the developed world. This proposed book is the first to focus on the key active labor market policy of employment services matching workers to jobs from the perspective of developing country economies. It proposes the evolution of employment services into labor intermediation services in a comprehensive practical framework based on multi-country experience. The book argues that significant improvements can be made in labor market transparency and access to employment by developing rudimentary employment services in three stages into labor intermediation services. It advocates a third potential phase to better connect these services to social and economic policy. The book will be unique in its use of concrete examples and policy lessons from a wide range of countries to demonstrate how these services have been implemented and adapted even in very poor countries and how such services can connect to the broader jobs agenda for poverty reduction.

Back Jacket

This book demonstrates how rethinking and adapting basic employment services into labor intermediation services can help address the many labor market disconnections of developing country economies. It addresses how scarce resources required to escape poverty - good jobs, schools, and training - more often go to the privileged and well-connected than to those who need them most. With jobs now at the top of development debates, this is a rare book on how to practically adapt one key labor market policy to very different developing and emerging country markets. It shows through examples how developing countries can build in stages from basic employment services to diverse labor intermediation services - opening up job listings, stimulating public-private partnerships, and making job connections for those who don't have a "cousin Vinny who knows a guy". This book is for policy practitioners, development organizations, and academics who are ready to think differently about one of the policies that needs to change so that developing economies can better meet the employment and higher skill challenges of the global age.

Author Biography

Jacqueline Mazza is currently Senior Adjunct Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, teaching in Washington, DC and Bologna, Italy. She is a recognized expert in the field of labor markets and development, with over 25 years of experience. She served most recently as Principal Labor Markets Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank.