Mobility in the Urban Labor Market: A Panel Data Analysis for Mexico

Xiaodong Gong (), Arthur van Soest () and Elizabeth Villagomez ()

No 213, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We analyze mobility in urban Mexico between three labor market states: working in the formal sector, working in the informal sector, and not working. We use a dynamic multinomial logit panel data model with random effects, explaining the labor market state of each individual during each time period. The data is drawn from Mexico ’s Urban Employment Survey, a quarterly household survey for urban Mexico. Two separate five-wave panels are used: the first covering a period of rapid economic growth (1992-1993), the second a period of recession after the Peso crisis (1994-1995). Our main results are in line with the theory that formal sector jobs are superior to informal sector jobs and that working in the informal sector is a temporary state for those who cannot find a formal sector job and cannot afford not to work. Entry and exit rates for the formal sector are lower than for the informal sector. The probability of formal sector employment strongly increases with education level. For men, it is easier to enter the formal sector from the non-working state than from the informal sector. The probability of working in the informal sector decreases with the level of income of other family members, while the probability of not working increases with it.

Keywords: panel data; Informal sector work; mobility; Mexico (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C23 C25 J60 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 39 pages
Date: 2000-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (81)

Published - published in: Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2004, 53 (1), 1-36

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Related works:
Journal Article: Mobility in the Urban Labor Market: A Panel Data Analysis for Mexico (2004)
Working Paper: Mobility in the Urban Labor Market: A Panel Data Analysis for Mexico (2000)
Working Paper: Mobility in the Urban Labor Market: A Panel Data Analysis for Mexico (2000)
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