Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-pjpqr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-27T01:05:13.435Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Manpower, Labor Absorption, and Employment in Colombia

A Comment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Larry S. Zudak
Larry S. Zudak*
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Copeland Hall, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The unemployment problem in Colombia was recently discussed by Geithman and Landers (1973) in this journal. They argue that one of the fundamental causes of unemployment is a “higher capital-labor ratio” than would otherwise exist, according to factor endowments and the structure of final demand. This is attributed to the dependency of less developed countries (LDCs) on capital from advanced countries (ACs), with laborsaving characteristics suitable for the latter (Geithman and Landers, 1973: 317). Their excessive capital intensity thesis is based on Bruton's cross-sectional statistical study (1967), which made a number of simplified assumptions which should be examined in some detail.

Since Bruton and Geithman and Landers use the production function in their analysis, it is necessary to briefly discuss its most important characteristics. The quantities of capital (K), labor (L), and other inputs required by the industrial sector or the entire economy to achieve various levels of output (Q), can be viewed as a generalized production function.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , May 1976 , pp. 225 - 236
Copyright
Copyright © University of Miami 1976

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arbitration Awards Report, 208 (1966) Grievance, No. H-3187, Decision 1205, Steel Workers, U.S.W., May 16.Google Scholar
Baer, W. and Herve, M. (1966) “Employment and industrialization in developing countries.” W. J. of Economics 80 (February): 88–107.Google Scholar
Bruton, H. (1967) “Productivity and growth in Latin America.” Amer. Econ. Rev. 57 (December): 1099–1116.Google Scholar
Campbell, R. (1967) Soviet Economic Power. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin. Google Scholar
Geithman, D. T. and Landers, C. E. (1973) “Obstacles to labor absorption in a developing economy.” J. of Interamerican Studies (August): 309–333.Google Scholar
Harbison, F. and Myers, C. (1964) Education Manpower and Economic Growth. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Horowitz, M. and Hernstad, I. (1970) “Learning the tool and die maker trade.” Manpower Research Monograph No. 17. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.Google Scholar
International Labour Orgaization [ILO] (1970) Towards Full Employment: A Programme for Colombia. Geneva: International Labor Office.Google Scholar
Michalopoulos, M. (1969) “Productivity growth in Latin America.” Amer. Econ. Rev. (June): 435–438.Google Scholar
Nelson, R., Schultz, I., and Slighton, R. (1971) Structural Change in a Developing Economy. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Univ. Press.Google Scholar
Pack, M. and Todaro, M. (1971) “Technological transfer, labor absorption and economic development.” Oxford Econ. Paper (November): 395403.Google Scholar
Somers, M. and Wood, M. (1969) Cost Benefit Analysis of Manpower Policies. Canada: Hanson and Edgar Ltd.Google Scholar
U.S. Department of Commerce (1962) Survey of Current Business. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.Google Scholar