Human Capitalization and Labor Market Absorption Capacity

Rasheed, Farooq and Khan, Aliya H. and Khan, M. Wali (2009): Human Capitalization and Labor Market Absorption Capacity. Published in: Journal of Business & Economics , Vol. 1, No. 2 (1 January 2010): pp. 143-159.

Abstract

This paper examines the changes of the degree of job absorption over time in job categories of Engineering, Computer Sciences, Business Administration and General subjects. We estimated a time-delay index explaining time-delay to get the first job after completing studies in the respective disciplines. Applying convergence criteria on the time-delay series in each category, surprisingly, the longest delay was found to be in the case of graduates from computer science, but as expected the undergraduates and graduates from general group showed little absorption capacity. On the other hand, engineers were found to be preeminent with least delay in getting the job. Business graduates were second specifically due to high market absorption capacity for those who major in marketing. Overall there was weak correlation found across the selected specialized groups, except for engineering and business graduate groups. Our study shows that market absorption capacity of graduates from business and general fields has become healthier. In case of Business graduates, a highest convergence rate is observed. Computer Science graduates do not show good signs in building the labor market absorption capacity as the delay index of this group increases over time. General group, considered as underdogs, found satisfactory tendency to labor market joining capabilities particularly from the share of graduates from mass communication and journalism. With such findings,balanced labor and educational policies can be grafted, such that each area of skills and knowledge demand gets its due share in the job market and the absorption capacity for one category does not remain low.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Human Capital, Labor Market, Absorption Capacity
• Subjects: J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J4 - Particular Labor Markets > J41 - Labor Contracts; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Demand and Supply of Labor > J24 - Human Capital ; Skills ; Occupational Choice ; Labor Productivity; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Demand and Supply of Labor > J23 - Labor Demand

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