Workbook “Labour economics” (in English)

WORKBOOK

“LABOUR ECONOMICS”

(IN ENGLISH)

E.A. VOYKINА
E.E. MIRGOROD
E.V. SHUBENKOVA

Moscow
INFRA-М

2020

Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation

Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

Basic department of Chamber of Commerce and Industry
of the Russian Federation “Human capital development”

TEXTBOOK

Published on the 75th anniversary of the

Basic department of Chamber of Commerce and Industry
of the Russian Federation “Human capital development”

 Voykina E.A.
V65  
Workbook “Labour economics” (in English) : textbook / E.A. Voykina, 
E.E. Mirgorod, E.V. Shubenkova. — Мoscow : INFRA-М, 2020. — 54 p.

ISBN 978-5-16-016382-6 (print)
ISBN 978-5-16-108685-8 (online)
The workbook presents the main topics of the course «Labour Economics». 
Topics contain key concepts, revision questions, numeracy and analytical exercises, topics for discussions and presentations, recommended video.
The workbook is intended for students studying English-language Bachelor’s degree programmes in Economics. 

ISBN 978-5-16-016382-6 (print)
ISBN 978-5-16-108685-8 (online)
© Voykina E.A., Mirgorod E.E., 
Shubenkova E.V., 2020

R e v i e w e r s:
Umnov Vitaliy Anatolevich — Doctor of Economics, Professor, Dean of 
the Faculty of Economics, Russian State University for the Humanities;
Zabelina Olga Viktorovna — Doctor of Economics, Professor, Head of 
the Laboratory for strategic studies of social and labour relations, Russian 
scientifi c research institute of labour of the Ministry of labour and social 
protection of the Russian Federation
 

A u t h o r s:
Voykina Ekaterina Andreevna — Candidate of Sciences in Economics, 
Associate Professor, Basic department of Chamber of Commerce and 
Industry of the Russian Federation «Human capital development», 
Plekhanov Russian University of Economics;
Mirgorod Ekaterina Evgenevna — Candidate of Sciences in Economics, 
Associate Professor, Basic department of Chamber of Commerce and 
Industry of the Russian Federation «Human capital development», 
Plekhanov Russian University of Economics;
Shubenkova Evgeniya Valerievna — Doctor of Economics, Professor, 
Basic department of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian 
Federation «Human capital development», Plekhanov Russian University 
of Economics

UDK 331(075.8)
BBK 65.24я73
 
V65

ПРАКТИКУМ 

ПО ДИСЦИПЛИНЕ

«ЭКОНОМИКА ТРУДА»

(НА АНГЛИЙСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ)

Москва
ИНФРА-М

2020

Министерство науки и высшего образования Российской Федерации

Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное 

учреждение высшего образования

«Российский экономический университет имени Г.В. Плеханова»

Базовая кафедра Торгово-промышленной палаты РФ

«Развитие человеческого капитала»

УЧЕБНОЕ ПОСОБИЕ

Публикуется к 75-летию

Базовой кафедры Торгово-промышленной палаты РФ

«Развитие человеческого капитала»

Е.А. ВОЙКИНА 
Е.Е. МИРГОРОД 
Е.В. ШУБЕНКОВА 

УДК 331(075.8)
ББК 65.24я73
 
В65

 Войкина Е.А.

В65  
Практикум по дисциплине «Экономика труда» (на английском язы
ке) : учебное пособие / Е.А. Войкина, Е.Е. Миргород, Е.В. Шубенкова. — Москва : ИНФРА-М, 2020. — 54 с.

ISBN 978-5-16-016382-6 (print)
ISBN 978-5-16-108685-8 (online)
В практикуме отражены основные темы учебной дисциплины «Эконо
мика труда». Каждая тема содержит краткий теоретический блок, список 
вопросов для самопроверки, расчетные и аналитические задания, темы для 
обсуждения и презентаций, рекомендованные для просмотра видео.

Для студентов бакалавриата, обучающихся на английском языке по на
правлению подготовки 38.03.01 «Экономика».

УДК 331(075.8)

ББК 65.24я73

ISBN 978-5-16-016382-6 (print)
ISBN 978-5-16-108685-8 (online)

© Войкина Е.А., Миргород Е.Е., 

Шубенкова Е.В., 2020

Р е ц е н з е н т ы:

Умнов Виталий Анатольевич — доктор экономических наук, про
фессор, декан экономического факультета Российского государственного гуманитарного университета; 

Забелина Ольга Викторовна — доктор экономических наук, профес
сор, начальник Лаборатории стратегических исследований социально-трудовых отношений Всероссийского научно-исследовательского 
института труда Министерства труда и социальной защиты России

А в т о р ы:

Войкина Екатерина Андреевна — кандидат экономических наук, 

доцент базовой кафедры Торгово-промышленной палаты Российской 
Федерации «Развитие человеческого капитала» РЭУ им. Г.В. Плеханова;

Миргород Екатерина Евгеньевна — кандидат экономических наук, 

доцент базовой кафедры Торгово-промышленной палаты Российской 
Федерации «Развитие человеческого капитала» РЭУ им. Г.В. Плеханова;

Шубенкова Евгения Валериевна — доктор экономических наук, про
фессор базовой кафедры Торгово-промышленной палаты Российской 
Федерации «Развитие человеческого капитала» РЭУ им. Г.В. Плеханова

Content

Introduction .............................................................................................................6

Topic 1. Demography and migration ....................................................................7

Topic 2. Employment and labour market .......................................................... 13

Topic 3. Labour productivity ............................................................................... 23

Topic 4. Labour management ............................................................................. 31

Topic 5. Quality and standard of living of the population .............................. 38

Topic 6. Employment and jobs in a green economy ......................................... 45

Topic 7. The International Labour Organization ............................................... 47

Exam questions .................................................................................................... 49

References ............................................................................................................. 52

INTRODUCTION

The course “Labour Economics” is included in the basic part of the 

curriculum and is intended for 2nd year students.

The purpose of the course is the formation of a complex of basic 

knowledge and skills in the field of economics of social and labour relations.

The main objectives of the course are:
— understanding modern theoretical ideas about labour, its role, 

factors and conditions that ensure the effective formation and use of 
labour potential;

— studying the fundamentals of methodology for identifying and 

solving the most important labour problems at the micro and macro 
levels;

— acquiring basic skills in practical work in the field of analysis of 

the main processes and indicators of the formation and use of labour 
potential.

The workbook consists of 7 topics and includes a brief theoretical 

overview of the main terms and indicators, a list of revision questions, 
numeracy and analytical exercises, topics for discussions and presentations, recommended video.

The workbook is aimed at developing competencies in the course 

“Labour Economics” among students studying Bachelor’s degree programmes (taught in English) in Economics.

Topic 1.

DEMOGRAPHY AND MIGRATION

Key concepts

In case of determination of intensity and results of natural and mi
gratory movement of the population following indexes are calculated: 
birth rate, death (mortality) rate, natural increase, natural increase rate, 
fertility rate.

Mentioned indexes are calculated with the following formulas:

 
 
1000
Births
Crudebirthrate
P
=
×
, 
(1) 

where Births is the number of births of the respective area in a given 
year; P — the average population of the respective area in a given year 
(half of the number of population at the beginning and end of the year);

 
 
 
 
Crudebirthrate
Total fertilityrate
d
=
× , 
(2)

where  
d  — share of women in fertile age (15–49 years) in the total 

population;

 
 
1000

wf

Births
Total fertilityrate
P
=
×
, 
(3) 

where 
 
wf
P
— female population of childbearing age;

(
)
 
 
 
1000
Deaths
Crudemortality death rate
P
=
×
, 
(4)

(
)
 
 
,
Natural increase decrease
Births
Deaths
=
−
 
(5)

(
)
 
 
 
1000,
Births
Deaths
Natural increase decrease rate
P
−
=
×
 
(6)

(
)
 
 
 
1000,
Departures
Emigration departure rate
P
=
×
 
(7)

where Departures is the number of emigrants from the respective area 
in a given year;

(
)
 
 
 
1000,
Arrivals
Immigration arrival rate
P
=
×
 
(8)

where Arrivals is the number of immigrants to the respective area in 
a given year;

 
Net migration
Arrivals
Departures
=
−
, 
(9)

 
 
1000,
Arrivals
Departures
Net migrationrate
P
−
=
×
 
(10)

 
,
Gross migration
Arrivals
Departures
=
+
 
(11)

 
 
1000
Arrivals
Departures
Gross migrationrate
P
+
=
×
, 
(12)

 
 
1000
Arrivals
Departures
Migrationefficiencyratio
Arrivals
Departures
−
=
×
+
, 
(13)

(
)
(
)

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
,

Total increase decrease or Populationchange

Natural increase decrease
Net migration

=

=
+

 
(14)

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
,
Total increase
Populationat theend of the year
populationat thebeginning of the year
=
−

−
 
(15)

(
)
 
 
 
1000
Births
Deaths
Total increase decrease rate
P
+
=
×
. 
(16)

Dependency ratios are a measure of the age structure of a popula
tion. They relate the number of individuals that are likely to be economically “dependent” on the support of others. Changes in the dependency ratio provide an indication of potential social support requirements resulting from changes in population age structures.

100,
 
 
  
 

Youthdependencyratio

Number of peopleinunder working age

Number of peopleinworking age

=

=
×
 
(17)

100,
 
 
  
 

Elderlydependencyratio

Number of peopleinover working age

Number of peopleinworking age

=

=
×
 
(18)

100.
 
 
  
 

Total dependencyratio

Number of peopleinunder working age
Number of peopleinover working age

Number of peopleinworking age

=

+
+
=
×

 
(19)

Revision questions

1. What are the main indicators using which you can assess the de
mographic and migration situation in the world?

2. What are the trends that characterize the demographic situation 

in the Russian Federation?

3. Explain the difference between birth rate and fertility rate.
4. What are the reasons for decrease of fertility rate?
5. What is the country with the highest life expectancy in the world?
6. What are the reasons for decline of population growth rate?
7. What are 3 countries where the population aged 65+ makes up 

more than 20% of the total population?

8. Tell us about the essence and method of calculation of indicators: 

total dependency ratio, youth dependency ratio, elderly dependency 
ratio.

9. Tell us about methods of state support for Russian families with 

children including the state program “Maternity (family) capital”.

10. What are the trends of modern labour migration in the world?
11. Why in some ways gross migration is more useful statistic than 

net migration?

Numeracy exercises

Exercise 1
The population of the region on 01.01.2019 was equal to 400 thou
sand people and on 01.01.2020–440 thousand people. During the year 
6300 persons were born in the region and 4200 persons died. For the 
same year 44800 people entered the region for permanent residence and 
6900 people left the region. Calculate the coefficients characterizing the 
intensity and results of the natural and mechanical movement of the 
population of the region.

Exercise 2
Population of the region on 01.01.2019 was equal to 500 thousand 

people, but on 01.01.2020–480 thousand people. Calculate the natural 
increase rate, if it is known that the immigration rate in the region was 
equal to 7‰, and emigration rate was 10‰.

Exercise 3
The population of the region on December 31, 2019 was 800 thou
sand people. The number of deaths in the region during 2019 reached 
9360 people, which corresponds to mortality rate of 12‰. Calculate the 
number of population in the region on 01.01.2019.

Exercise 4
The population of the region in 2018 was equal to 6.5 million people, 

of which 2 million lived in rural areas and the rest — in cities. The 
birth rate in urban areas was 12‰ and in rural areas — 15‰. In 2019 
the urban population of the region increased by 9%. The birth rate in 
rural areas decreased by 2% and in urban areas — by 8%. Calculate the 
change in the birth rate in the region in 2019 compared to 2018?

Exercise 5
Calculate the share of migration in the gross population growth in 

the region for the year, if known:

— the population in the beginning of the year was equal to 500 

thousand people;

— the average annual population — 530 thousand people;
— the birth rate was 12‰;
— the mortality rate was 9‰.

Exercise 6
There is the following data on the age composition of the female 

population of the region in 2018:

The interval of age
Number, mln. people
Share in total

population

0–5
5,78
0,040

5–10
5,24
0,036

10–14
5,06
0,035

15–19
4,64
0,032

20–24
5,36
0,037

25–29
6,41
0,044

30–34
6,17
0,042

35–39
5,49
0,038

40–44
2,93
0,02

45–49
5,74
0,039

50–54
4,47
0,03

55–59
5,27
0,036

>60
15,18
0,104