Green, Anne E. (2006) Labour market geographies : employment and non-employment. In: Bagchi-Sen, S. and Lawton Smith, H., (eds.) Economic geography : past, present and future. London: Routledge, pp. 233-242. ISBN 9780203020258

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Abstract

This chapter provides a series of reflections on developments in labour market geographies, and associated concerns with employment and non-employment, over the last quarter century. It cannot and does not claim to provide a comprehensive overview, but rather it addresses selected key themes. While not restricted to the United Kingdom, it is there where the main emphasis lies – particularly with respect to policy. At the outset a brief outline of the changing nature of labour markets over this period is provided to set the context for two main substantive sections of the chapter. The first main section deals with changing approaches and concerns of economic geographers. Five main issues are addressed under the ‘approaches’ sub-heading: (1) the change in emphasis from quantitative to qualitative methods; (2) the move away from empiricism towards theory; (3) the increasing weight placed on social and cultural issues; (4) the trend towards more detailed disaggregation; and (5) the role of geography and geographers in multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary studies of labour markets and labour market geographies. It is not possible to do justice within the constraints of space available to address the multiplicity of ‘concerns’ of economic geographers, so the main focus here is placed on the operation of local labour markets, with particular reference to four topics: (1) labour market adjustments; (2) the balance between migration and commuting; (3) the place of perceptions; and (4) the role of labour market intermediaries. The second main section deals with changing policy issues. In the context of the opportunities for geographers offered by increased emphasis on evidence based policy, amongst the issues highlighted are ‘healthy’ labour markets, and the shift in policy concerns from unemployment to non-employment, and from the ‘quantity’ to the ‘quality’ of employment. In turn, these issues relate to key policy questions, such as ‘why’ and ‘how’ concentrations of worklessness emerge, what should be the balance between supply-side and demand-side issues in labour market policy, and what policy levers are available at different geographical levels to influence outcomes. The final section of the chapter sets out some key features of the future agenda for researchers concerned with labour market geographies, and also a central question around which policy-relevant research could be focused.

Item Type:	Book Item
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Institute for Employment Research
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Labor market -- Regional disparities -- Great Britain, Unemployment -- Government policy -- Research, Employment agencies, Commuting, Labor mobility
Publisher:	Routledge
Place of Publication:	London
ISBN:	9780203020258
Book Title:	Economic geography : past, present and future
Editor:	Bagchi-Sen, S. and Lawton Smith, H.
Official Date:	2006
Dates:	Date Event 2006 Published
Number of Pages:	260
Page Range:	pp. 233-242
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)

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