Job quality dynamic in Benin

Pages475-488
Published date01 April 2019
Date01 April 2019
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/ER-02-2018-0059
AuthorKenneth Kponou,Benjamin Fomba Kamga
Subject MatterHR & organizational behaviour,Industrial/labour relations,Employment law
Job quality dynamic in Benin
Kenneth Kponou
University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, Benin, and
Benjamin Fomba Kamga
Université Yaoundé 2 Soa, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the job quality in Benin between 2007 and 2011. To do
this, the study constr ucted a multidimensional me asure of job quality and ident ified the determinants of the
quality of the job. The mea sure adopted by the autho rs includes four dimensi ons: wages; extra-wa ge
benefits and regularity of employment; conditions and career opportunities; and, finally, social security.
Two methods, including t he construction of measure of job quality and the es timation of determinants of
the job quality index, we re used to test the robustness of the effects. The results show that the qua lity of
job improved slightly between 2007 and 2011 and that factors such as experience, the type of contract, the
level of education, the f ormal character of the c ompany and the work hours ex plain the job quality of
workers in Benin.
Design/methodology/approach The measure adopted by the authors includes four dimensions: wages;
extra-wage benefits and regularity of employment; conditions and career opportunities; and, finally, social
security. Two methods, including the construction of measure of job quality and the estimation of
determinants of the job quality index, were used to test the robustness of the effects.
Findings The results show that the quality of job improved slightly between 2007 and 2011 and that
factors such as experience, the type of contract, the level of education, the formal character of the company
and the work hours explain the job quality of workers in Benin.
Originality/value The contribution of this study lies in its analytical approach and in the fact that it
reinforces the knowledge that exists on this theme, which is still little studied in African countries.
Keywords Job quality, Index
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Neoclassical theory is considered as standard under the assumptions of competition, a
long-term job between an employer and an employee in a fixed local with well-defined
benefits in a contract of employment. But this type of job is no longer just the one we
encounter in the labor market. According to Greenan et al. (2017), the emergence of new
forms of employment is due to the structural changes in the economy induced and
accentuated by economic crises as well as demographic and labor market changes.
Incompleteness and information asymmetries specific to the nature of the exchange in
employment relationships make the labor market a particular market. There is, thus, a
prevalence of several forms of employment in the same labor market, calling into question
the assumption of uniform market functioning. In this sense, the theory of segmentation
indicates that the market is composedof several segments operating uniformly within and
heterogeneously between them (Doeringer and Piore, 1970).
The unemployment issue and, more generally, employment remain a major concern in
developing countries. The definition of unemployment as used by the International Labor
Organization (ILO) is based on the following criteria: age 15 years and over and available
for work; actively seeking employment; and not having worked during a reference period
that is usually one week before the survey. Two important aspects can be highlighted
whenreferenceismadetothemeasureofunemploymentaspublishedbyILO.Thefirstis
that this definition is quite broad and produces low unemployment rates in African
countries and Benin, in particular. Indeed, according to data from the World Bank
Employee Relations: The
International Journal
Vol. 41 No. 3, 2019
pp. 475-488
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/ER-02-2018-0059
Received 21 February 2018
Revised 28 August 2018
Accepted 29 August 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0142-5455.htm
JEL Classification J01, J81, C01, C42
475
Job quality
dynamic

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