Is There a Link Between Casual Employment and Export-Orientation of Firms? The Case of Kenya's Manufacturing Sector

Bibliographic Data

ID10430361
AuthorsMaureen Were (0000-0001-5512-6207, Research Department, Central Bank of Kenya, P.O. Box 60000, Nairobi, Kenya, corresponding author)
Year2011
Volume38
Issue3
Pages227-242
Publication date2011-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Review of Black Political Economy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0034-6446 • E-ISSN: 1936-4814
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1007/s12114-011-9099-x
OpenAlexW2006719309
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited18

Empirical evidence on the link between trade and employment outcomes in Africa is severely limited. The paper analyses employment outcomes, that is, the rise in casual employment in Kenya's manufacturing sector in relation to firms' export orientation. While exporting firms generally account for a higher proportion of employment in the manufacturing sector, the proportion of workers in exporting firms declined by over 20% between the early 1990s and 2003. On the other hand, the proportion of casual workers employed in manufacturing firms increased over the same period. However, the empirical results show no strong evidence of “exporting” significantly influencing the proportion of casual workers employed by firms. The combination of an increasingly skilled labour force in Kenya and deepening casualisation among workers points to a conundrum that requires further analysis. That notwithstanding, the results suggest a need for policy focus not only on job creation, but also on the quality of jobs created

Business · Casual · Demographic economics · Economics · Empirical evidence · Empirical research · Job creation · Labour economics · Manufacturing sector · Political science · Quality (philosophy · Global trade and economics · Global trade, sustainability, and social impact · Labor Movements and Unions

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