Labor Economics

Author: Wen Haichi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-09-01
Features: With the establishment of China's socialist market economy system, the product market has developed rapidly and has now entered a stage focusing on the development of capital, labor, technology, and other production factor markets. In this context, the teaching and research of labor economics have become particularly urgent and important. However, research in this field in China has lagged behind, with few theoretical monographs and textbooks on labor economics available, especially textbooks suitable for undergraduate teaching in economics. Therefore, to provide teaching materials for undergraduate economics majors at our university, this textbook, Labor Economics, was compiled and published with the project funding support of the Nankai University Textbook Construction Committee. This book is a textbook that strives to combine theory with practice. It not only pays great attention to explaining the basic concepts, principles, and methods of labor economics in a complete and accurate manner but also closely integrates relevant domestic and international practices. Thus, this book has the following characteristics:
1. Theoretical Nature. During the compilation process, the author extensively referred to various editions of Labor Economics from abroad and, under the guidance of Marxist theory, absorbed and adopted the reasonable parts and relevant materials. At the same time, it widely incorporates newly published Labor Economics textbooks and research findings on labor economics theories in academia, ensuring that this textbook has a certain degree of advancement and theoretical depth.
2. Systematic Nature. This book adopts the consensus of most scholars in the field of labor economics, taking industrial relations as the research object of labor economics. The author believes that industrial relations, as the research object of labor economics, should include all interest relationships centered on social laborers that occur before, during, and after the labor process. Following this approach, the book is organized into four parts and ten chapters.
The first part, Chapter 1, primarily outlines the research object and methods of labor economics, providing readers with a preliminary understanding of the entire book. The second part, Chapters 2 to 6, focuses on the microanalysis of labor market phenomena. Chapter 2 first outlines the labor market; Chapter 3 analyzes labor demand; Chapter 4 analyzes labor supply; Chapter 5 analyzes human capital theory, which is an in-depth exploration of labor supply theory; and Chapter 6 concludes the second major section by discussing the widely concerned wage principles. The third part, Chapters 7 and 8, is the macroanalysis of labor economics, primarily explaining issues such as labor employment and unemployment. The fourth part, Chapters 9 and 10, includes Chapter 9, which explains the issues of trade unions and collective bargaining, and Chapter 10, which explains social insurance issues. Social insurance is not only an important aspect of collective bargaining but also a key component in the formulation of labor laws and regulations, as well as a critical issue affecting social stability. The four major parts above cover the basic content of labor economics and form the complete structural system of this book.
3. Applicability. When explaining and summarizing the basic concepts, principles, and methods in each chapter, the book closely connects theory with practice, providing specific examples and using various persuasive data, charts, and other materials. This makes abstract theories easy to understand and visually intuitive, suitable for readers of different levels. Additionally, the content of the book is appropriately lengthy and balanced, making it suitable for undergraduate teaching with four hours per week, which can be completed within one semester. Therefore, this book has broad applicability. It can not only serve as a teaching textbook for economics majors in ordinary universities but also be used by adult education students in economics, management, demography, labor economics, and other fields or majors, as well as by practical workers in labor departments. It can also be referenced by theoretical workers and educators engaged in labor economics research and teaching.