• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.135-164
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• 2010

This paper compares the earnings effect of inter-industry technology differences between the self-employed and wage earners. It is assumed that primary skills utilized by the self-employed and paid workers differ in nature, and thus the earnings effect of technology differences and its skill-biasness also differ for each type of workers. For the empirical analysis. Heckman's two-stage method and quantile regressions are fitted to Korean panel data. The earnings effect of technology differences turns skill- biased for wage earners (job-specific skills), but prevails for all self-employed workers (entrepreneurial skills) regardless of their schooling level. This sectoral difference holds for each different quantile of earnings distribution.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.31-58
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• 2008

This study examines applying the elderly poverty labor hypothesis and skill-biased technological change hypothesis to labor force participation rate(LFPR) of older males in Korea. These hypotheses have hardly been examined on the this group. The analysis is based on the data "Summary of economically active population($1965{\sim}2007$)", "Population projection($1965{\sim}2007$)", "Report on wage structure survey($1993{\sim}2005$)" and "Korea Labor and Income Panel Study($1998{\sim}2006$)". The method employed for this study is logistic regression. The main results from this analysis are summarized in five points. Firstly, Korean older males' LFPR have been increasing since 1965 when industrialization was expanding at full steam. This trend has been different from the decreasing trend of industrialized countries. The second finding is that poor older males' LFPR is, on the average, 5.2% higher than that of non-poor older males from 1998 to 2005. The third result is that the non-elderly man has been increasingly positioned at higher grade occupations, while the elderly man has been held at lower grade occupations. The fourth is that labor demand for highly educated workers has exceeded the increased labor supply of the group, while the demand for low educated workers has decreased far beyond the declined labor supply. As a result, college premium has increased from 139% in 1993 to 157.8% in 2005. The final main implication of this study is that the industrialization theory and modernization hypothesis still holds for the LFPR of Korean older males. However, the elderly affluence hypothesis of the LFPR of older males are hardly persuasive in explaining Korean phenomenon. Especially, we find that the elderly poverty is the main mechanism in determining the Korean LFPR in old ages. This supports the elderly poverty labor hypothesis presented in this study. Skill-biased technological change hypothesis partially explains the LFPR of older man. However, we believe that other factors; human capital specially high school education rather than university education and skill required in less skill biased occupations or the poverty; also have taken effect.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.61-78
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• 2024

This study centered on labor demand between ship officers and ratings in the maritime sector, focusing on human capital theory. Ship officers bear the primary responsibilities in ship operations, including navigation, compliance with safety procedures, crew and resource management, and strategic decision-making, necessitating high levels of education and experience. Conversely, ratings execute various tasks aboard ships under the guidance of officers, contributing to daily operations. Using a multifactor Cobb-Douglas production function, the study evaluated the productivity of ship officers and ratings and analyzed the segmentation of their respective labor markets. The analysis revealed that globalization did not significantly impact either ship officers or ratings. However, technological advancements notably adversely affected the labor demand for ratings, highlighting its role in widening wage gaps and exacerbating job insecurity among less skilled workers within broader economic and social contexts. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for appropriate employment policies responsive to fluctuations in labor demand for ship officers and ratings due to economic changes. It also underscores the importance of flexible responses to the impacts of technological progress on different job sectors, advocating for policy approaches that prioritize worker education and training.