LABOR MARKET CHALLENGES AND ITS IMPACT ON THE «NEW POOR»

Keywords: Working Poverty, Social Exclusion, Economic Growth Stability, Inclusiveness, Social Transfers, Poverty Trap, Labor Export

Abstract

At the current stage of the country’s socio-economic development, overcoming unemployment, poverty and ensuring effective employment in Georgia remains the main task of macroeconomic policy. Despite the recent reforms and certain positive shifts in economic development, there are still a number of difficulties in the labor market, which, on the one hand, are related to the shortage of jobs across the country, and on the other hand, to the shortage of highly qualified labor. In addition, there is a noticeable lack of personnel with the necessary knowledge, skills and experience in certain professions or specialties. This largely determines the imbalance between the demand and supply of labor in the Georgian labor market. The problem is made even more visible by modern global trends related to demographic, organizational, structural changes, large-scale labor emigration, technological innovations and other innovations.

Given the above situation, great importance is attached to systematic research of the labor market, especially in the direction of studying the real demand for labor, so that the existing higher and vocational education system in the country is correctly oriented towards training personnel with the appropriate profession and qualifications, which will fully meet the requirements of employers for the labor force and minimize the imbalance in the labor market. Eliminating the existing problem can have a positive impact on overcoming poverty, especially in relation to the “new poor”.

Poverty research is complex in nature and takes into account all the achievements that have taken place in economic, political, sociological and psychological scientific directions, which reveals the interdisciplinary nature of poverty research. This paper presents an analysis of the practical and theoretical approaches related to the study of the problem of poverty in socio-economic science.

At the current stage of the country’s socio-economic development, overcoming unemployment, poverty and ensuring effective employment remain the main tasks of macroeconomic policy in Georgia. Despite the recent reforms and certain positive shifts in the direction of economic development, there are still a number of difficulties in the economy, which, on the one hand, are related to the shortage of jobs across the country, and on the other hand, to the shortage of highly qualified labor. In addition, there is a noticeable lack of personnel with the necessary knowledge, skills and experience in certain professions or specialties. This largely determines the imbalance between the demand and supply of labor in the Georgian labor market. The problem is made even more visible by modern global trends related to demographic, organizational, structural changes, large-scale labor emigration, technological innovations and other innovations.

In modern economic relations, the impact of the functioning of the labor market on the “new poor” is relevant, which is explained primarily by the fact that in many cases employment cannot provide adequate living conditions for an individual. Poverty in its essence is a global challenge. At the same time, poverty is characterized by a subjective nature, which means that it is perceived differently by everyone. There may be different answers to the question of what poverty means: for someone it is associated with a lack of food, for someone with the absence of shelter, and for someone it may be associated with the possibility of receiving quality education. For some, it may be associated only with health.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Tornike Osadze, Akaki Tsereteli State University, 59, Tamar Mepe Str., Kutaisi, 4600, Georgia

PhD Student

References

Ehrenberg, R. J., & Smith, R. S. (2022). Modern Labor Economics. Twelfth edition. Tbilisi: Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Publishing House. Retrieved from https://tsu.ge/assets/media/files/7/biblioteka/%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%94%E1%83%93%E1%83%A0%E1%83%9D%E1%83%95%E1%83%94%20%E1%83%A8%E1%83%A0%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%94%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%202022.pdf. (In Georgian)

Tsartsidze, M., & Latsabidze, N. (2023). Labor market and trends in labor demand changes in Georgia in the context of the modern global crisis. 2020. Conference Proceedings: “The World Economy in the Post-Pandemic Period: Implications and Challenges” (pp. 303-313). Tbilisi. Retrieved from https://dspace.tsu.ge/server/api/core/bitstreams/26b77fa6-246e-4e2d-8ae9-5dde62321cdf/content. (In Georgian)

Arnania-Kepuladze, T., & Kepuladze, G. (2017). Economic Inequality and Poverty in Individual and Global Contexts. International Scientific Internet Conference "Economy – 21st Century". Retrieved from http://conferenceconomics.tsu.ge/?mcat=0&cat=arq&leng=ge&adgi=225&tit. (In Georgian)

Abesadze, R. (2013). Standard of Living, Poverty and Unemployment in Georgia. http://conferenceconomics.tsu.ge/doc/2019%20%20Internet%20Conference.pdf. (In Georgian)

Diakonidze, A. (2021). Non-standard and Informal Employment – Concepts and Their Relevance for Georgia. Retrieved from https://socialjustice.org.ge/uploads/products/pdf/Non-Standard_and_Informal_Employment__1637230489.pdf

Tsintsadze, G. (2021). The needs of those involved in non-standard and informal work: a thematic study. G. Tsintsadze, G. Lanchava, S. Shubladze, A. Diakonidze, S. Kajaia, & T. Keburia (Eds.), Informal and Non-Standard Distance in Georgia (pp. 32-46). Tbilisi: Center for Social Justice.

Kakulia, M., Kapanadze, N., & Kurkhuli, L. (2017). Chronic Poverty and Income Inequality in Georgia. Tbilisi: Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Papava, Vl. (2015). Georgian Economy (Reforms and Pseudo-Reforms). Tbilisi: Intellect Publishing House.

Abesadze, R. (2022). The main directions of the Innovation Development Strategy of the Georgian Economy. Ekonomisti, XVIII(2), 8-30. doi: https://doi.org/10.36172/EKONOMISTI.2022.XVIII.02.RAMAZ.ABESADZE (In Georgian)

Abuselidze, G. (2019). European Integration of Georgia and Financial-Economic Condition: Achievements and Challenges. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 8(1), 53. doi: https://doi.org/10.14207/ejsd.2019.v8n1p53

Arnania-Kepuladze, T., Dali, S., & Kepuladze, G. (2021, Oct 15). Labor Market: The Covid-19 Pandemic and Working Poverty. FBIM Transactions, 9(2), 1–10. doi: https://doi.org/10.12709/fbim.09.09.02.01

Vooren, M., Healermans, C., Groot, W., & Maassen, H. (2018). The effectiveness of active labor market policies: a meta-analysis. Journal of economic surveys, 33(1), 125-149. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/joes.12269

Azar, J., Marinescu, I., & Steinbaum, M. (April 2022). Labor Market Concentration. Journal of Human Resources, 57, (S) S167-S199. doi: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.monopsony.1218-9914R1

Zarifhonarvar, A. (2024). Economics of ChatGPT: a labor market view on the occupational impact of artificial intelligence. Journal of Electronic Business & Digital Economics, 3(2), 100-116. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JEBDE-10-2023-0021

Bradley, J., & Mann, L. (November 2024). Learning about labor markets. Journal of Monetary Economics, 148, 103612. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmoneco.2024.103612

Brunow, S., Lösch, S. & Okhrin, O. (2022). Labor market tightness and individual wage growth: evidence from Germany. J Labour Market Res, 56, 16. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12651-022-00322-7

Donovan, K., & Scoellman, T. (2023). The role of labor market frictions in structural transformation. Oxford Development Studies. Oxford Development Studies, 51(4). doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13600818.2023.2276702

Bousrih, J., Elhaj, M., & Hassan, F. (2022). The labor market in the digital era: What matters for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries? Front. Sociol., Sec. Work, Employment and Organizations, 7. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2022.959091

Deming, D. J. (2015). The Growing Importance of Social Skills in the Labor Market. National Bureau of Economic Research. Working Paper, 21473. doi: https://doi.org/10.3386/w21473

David, H. (2001). Wiring the Labor Market. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 15(1), 25–40. doi: https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.15.1.25

Corbin, J. (1920). The New Poor and the Old. The North American Review, 212(780), 618–630. doi: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25151112

Castañeda, A., Doan, D., Newhouse, D., Nguyen, M. C., Uematsu, H., & Azevedo, J. P. (2018). A new profile of the global poor. World Development, 101, 250-267. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.08.002

Narayan, A. (2020). Profiles of the new poor due to the COVID19 pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347720628_Profiles_of_the_new_poor_due_to_the_COVID19_pandemic?enrichId=rgreqb49c2415de2115989833605dd1d9285bXXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzM0NzcyMDYyODtBUzo5NzE5MzU1MDg4NzczMTNAMTYwODczODg5MTg3MQ%3D%3D&el=1_x_2&_esc=publicationCoverPdf

OECD/ILO. (2019). Tackling Vulnerability in the Informal Economy. Paris: Development Centre Studies, OECD Publishing. doi: https://doi.org/10.1787/939b7bcd-en

Schoukens, P., & Barrio, A. (2017). The changing concept of work: When does typical work become atypical? European Labour Law Journal, 8(4), 306-332. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/2031952517743871

Published
2025-04-06
How to Cite
Osadze, T. (2025). LABOR MARKET CHALLENGES AND ITS IMPACT ON THE «NEW POOR». Social Economics, (69), 45-55. https://doi.org/10.26565/2524-2547-2025-69-04
Section
ECONOMICS