Work in Transition: Transformation of Work in Russia and Other Post-Communist Countries

The transformation of work in advanced and emerging economies is taking place along three dimensions. First, major demographic shifts are affecting the supply of labour. The populations of advanced economies, Russia and the countries of emerging Europe are ageing rapidly, resulting in labour shortages and a need to improve the way in which older cohorts are integrated into the labour market. The second aspect of the transformation of work concerns skills. Technology-led changes are resulting in job polarisation, reducing demand for medium-skilled workers and increasing demand for high and low-skilled workers. The speaker will show how job polarization is taking place both in advanced economies and in Russia and other post-communist countries. The third aspect of the transformation of work concerns geographical shifts in the location of jobs and workers. As the costs of labour mobility are coming down, both high levels of cross-border migration and significant intra-country labour mobility are observed. The speaker will examine the threats and opportunities for Russia and other post-communist countries emerging from the interplay between demographic change, technological advances, migration and urbanisation.

Sergei Guriev - Chief Economist, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Dr. Guriev’s research interests include political economics, labor mobility, corporate governance and contract theory. Dr. Guriev has published in international refereed journals including American Economic Review, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of European Economic Association, Economic Journal, Journal of   Economic Perspectives and American Political Science Review. He has been a board member of Sberbank, E.ON Russia, Alfa-Strakhovanie Insurance Company, Russia Venture Company, Russian Home Mortgage Lending Agency, Russian Agricultural Bank, and the Dynasty Foundation. In 2006, he was selected a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. In 2009-11, he was included in the top 100 of the President of Russia’s Cadre Reserve. In 2016-17 he has served as the President of the Society for Institutional and Organizational Economics. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the International Economic Association and a Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research, London.