Ålder och ekonomisk omvandling. Sveriges tillväxthistoria i ett demografiskt perspektiv, 1890-1995
(2003)- Abstract
- In the 1900s the Swedish labour force underwent an ageing process, accentuated in some periods and stagnant in others. This study inquires into how, and to what extent, these demographic shifts in the labour market explain changes in average labour productivity and economic growth. Different age groups possess different types of human capital, leading to changes in individual productivity over the life-cycle. A younger labour force is assumed to be generally better educated, while an older labour force is credited with greater work experience. There are also other age-related differences in terms of human capital, among others the state of health and mobility of the labour force. In combination with changes in the underlying economic... (More)
- In the 1900s the Swedish labour force underwent an ageing process, accentuated in some periods and stagnant in others. This study inquires into how, and to what extent, these demographic shifts in the labour market explain changes in average labour productivity and economic growth. Different age groups possess different types of human capital, leading to changes in individual productivity over the life-cycle. A younger labour force is assumed to be generally better educated, while an older labour force is credited with greater work experience. There are also other age-related differences in terms of human capital, among others the state of health and mobility of the labour force. In combination with changes in the underlying economic structure, which determine labour demand and the extent to which various types of human capital can be used in production, changes in the age structure bring about shifts in the effects on economic growth. This study shows the need to direct attention to the interaction between the supply of and demand for human capital in order to ascertain the age effects over time. From a long-term perspective, that spans the whole of the 1900s, empirical support is given to the notion that work experience was significant for productivity and economic growth. However, during periods of intense economic transformation, the younger labour force´s human capital (including education) compensated for its lack of work experience. Thus, there were considerable variations in the effects of lower age groups, as opposed to higher age groups, on the rate of economic growth in the 1900s. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
Den svenska arbetskraften har blivit äldre under 1900-talet. Under vissa perioder har denna åldrandeprocess accelererat, medan den har avtagit under andra perioder. I denna studie undersöks vilken roll dessa förändringar i åldersstrukturen spelar för genomsnittlig arbetsproduktivitet och ekonomisk tillväxt. Olika åldersgrupper besitter olika typer av humankapital, eftersom den individuella produktiviteten förändras över livscykeln. Samtidigt förändras över tid den underliggande ekonomiska strukturen, vilken bestämmer arbetskraftsefterfrågan och förutsättningarna för i vilken mån de olika typerna av humankapital kan utnyttjas inom produktionen. Sammantaget skiftar därför effekterna på den ekonomiska tillväxttakten av förskjutningar i... (More)
Den svenska arbetskraften har blivit äldre under 1900-talet. Under vissa perioder har denna åldrandeprocess accelererat, medan den har avtagit under andra perioder. I denna studie undersöks vilken roll dessa förändringar i åldersstrukturen spelar för genomsnittlig arbetsproduktivitet och ekonomisk tillväxt. Olika åldersgrupper besitter olika typer av humankapital, eftersom den individuella produktiviteten förändras över livscykeln. Samtidigt förändras över tid den underliggande ekonomiska strukturen, vilken bestämmer arbetskraftsefterfrågan och förutsättningarna för i vilken mån de olika typerna av humankapital kan utnyttjas inom produktionen. Sammantaget skiftar därför effekterna på den ekonomiska tillväxttakten av förskjutningar i åldersstrukturen. Studien visar på behovet av att ta hänsyn till interaktionen mellan utbudet av och efterfrågan på humankapital, för bestämningen av ålderseffekter över tid. I ett långsiktigt perspektiv som spänner över hela 1900-talet presenteras empiriska belägg för att den äldre arbetskraftens erfarenhet har spelat en ökad roll för produktivitet och ekonomisk tillväxt. Under perioder av stark ekonomisk omvandling har emellertid den yngre arbetskraftens humankapital (inklusive utbildning) kompenserat för den bristande erfarenheten. Betydelsen av yngre respektive äldre arbetskraft för den ekonomiska tillväxttakten har därför varierat under 1900-talet. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/21422
- author
- Bengtsson, Henrik LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Bäcklund, Dan, Uppsala University
- organization
- publishing date
- 2003
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Social and economic history, economic growth, rationalisation, economic transformation, labour productivity, Age structure, human capital, Ekonomisk och social historia
- pages
- 214 pages
- publisher
- Almqvist & Wiksell International
- defense location
- Crafoordsalen, Holger Crafoords Ekonomicentrum, Lund
- defense date
- 2003-12-09 10:15:00
- ISBN
- 91-22-02025-X
- language
- Swedish
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- b380a5f7-6241-4764-8751-366396afe434 (old id 21422)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 17:00:47
- date last changed
- 2023-05-09 09:22:09
@phdthesis{b380a5f7-6241-4764-8751-366396afe434,
abstract = {{In the 1900s the Swedish labour force underwent an ageing process, accentuated in some periods and stagnant in others. This study inquires into how, and to what extent, these demographic shifts in the labour market explain changes in average labour productivity and economic growth. Different age groups possess different types of human capital, leading to changes in individual productivity over the life-cycle. A younger labour force is assumed to be generally better educated, while an older labour force is credited with greater work experience. There are also other age-related differences in terms of human capital, among others the state of health and mobility of the labour force. In combination with changes in the underlying economic structure, which determine labour demand and the extent to which various types of human capital can be used in production, changes in the age structure bring about shifts in the effects on economic growth. This study shows the need to direct attention to the interaction between the supply of and demand for human capital in order to ascertain the age effects over time. From a long-term perspective, that spans the whole of the 1900s, empirical support is given to the notion that work experience was significant for productivity and economic growth. However, during periods of intense economic transformation, the younger labour force´s human capital (including education) compensated for its lack of work experience. Thus, there were considerable variations in the effects of lower age groups, as opposed to higher age groups, on the rate of economic growth in the 1900s.}},
author = {{Bengtsson, Henrik}},
isbn = {{91-22-02025-X}},
keywords = {{Social and economic history; economic growth; rationalisation; economic transformation; labour productivity; Age structure; human capital; Ekonomisk och social historia}},
language = {{swe}},
publisher = {{Almqvist & Wiksell International}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Ålder och ekonomisk omvandling. Sveriges tillväxthistoria i ett demografiskt perspektiv, 1890-1995}},
year = {{2003}},
}