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A study of job polarization in Sweden from an urban-rural perspective

Bergh, Andreas LU ; Nordin, Martin LU and Hammarlund, Cecilia LU (2025) In Journal for Labour Market Research 59(10).
Abstract
This study is an explorative examination of changes in employment, revenue, and firm structure for low, mid, and high-skill firms in urban and rural areas in Sweden from 2007 to 2019, using skill groups based on education levels. For employment in Sweden in general, we find evidence of job upgrading. In the city of Stockholm we also document job polarization in the sense that employment in both low-skill and high-skill industries increased. We discuss various reasons why job polarization might be an urban phenomenon. We also document some consolidation towards larger firms in the low-skill sector and note that the revenue share of high-skill industries was constant during the period. Even though Swedish labour market institutions differ... (More)
This study is an explorative examination of changes in employment, revenue, and firm structure for low, mid, and high-skill firms in urban and rural areas in Sweden from 2007 to 2019, using skill groups based on education levels. For employment in Sweden in general, we find evidence of job upgrading. In the city of Stockholm we also document job polarization in the sense that employment in both low-skill and high-skill industries increased. We discuss various reasons why job polarization might be an urban phenomenon. We also document some consolidation towards larger firms in the low-skill sector and note that the revenue share of high-skill industries was constant during the period. Even though Swedish labour market institutions differ substantially from those of other OECD countries, the patterns of job polarization are strikingly similar. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Job polarization, Rural, Urban, Profits, Wage share, Capital taxes, J23, J24, J31, L25, O33
in
Journal for Labour Market Research
volume
59
issue
10
external identifiers
  • scopus:105003106241
DOI
10.1186/s12651-025-00397-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
eb919de2-9836-4868-99d0-2bb4026b35ec
date added to LUP
2025-04-07 11:55:16
date last changed
2025-07-16 04:05:52
@article{eb919de2-9836-4868-99d0-2bb4026b35ec,
  abstract     = {{This study is an explorative examination of changes in employment, revenue, and firm structure for low, mid, and high-skill firms in urban and rural areas in Sweden from 2007 to 2019, using skill groups based on education levels. For employment in Sweden in general, we find evidence of job upgrading. In the city of Stockholm we also document job polarization in the sense that employment in both low-skill and high-skill industries increased. We discuss various reasons why job polarization might be an urban phenomenon. We also document some consolidation towards larger firms in the low-skill sector and note that the revenue share of high-skill industries was constant during the period. Even though Swedish labour market institutions differ substantially from those of other OECD countries, the patterns of job polarization are strikingly similar.}},
  author       = {{Bergh, Andreas and Nordin, Martin and Hammarlund, Cecilia}},
  keywords     = {{Job polarization; Rural; Urban; Profits; Wage share; Capital taxes; J23; J24; J31; L25; O33}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{10}},
  series       = {{Journal for Labour Market Research}},
  title        = {{A study of job polarization in Sweden from an urban-rural perspective}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12651-025-00397-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12651-025-00397-y}},
  volume       = {{59}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}