WageIndicator future – what researchers want (in a nutshell)

The scientific conference on WageIndicator research potential, held on September 1, 2017 at the Tropical Institute in Amsterdam, revealed broad outlines of researchers’ wishes. They might be subsumed under the heading of the Kinshasa-index. This surprising concept was introduced during the panel discussion by moderator – and WageIndicator director – Paulien Osse.

What does the Kinshasa-index entail – or, rather, what might it come to signify?

1. focus on Africa as the continent where the growth to global presence in 2023 would take WageIndicator first (presently 25 of Africa’s 50 countries are covered)

2. focus on the rise of big cities (Kinshasa is Africa’s 3rd mega-city and doubled in size over the past 15 years to roughly 10 mio, some sources already claim 13 mio, growth rate 10% per annum)

3. focus on migration (both rural-urban and across neighbouring countries’ borders, as well as between continents)

4. widening the scope for longitudinal studies (i.e. following individuals or groups over longer periods of time, mapping their working/family lives as and where they develop)

5. deepening the understanding of occupations by refining definitions to include (varying combinations of) skills needed for specific tasks in volatile labour markets characterized by diminishing permanent employment opportunities

6. the effect of wage setting starting from minimum wages ….

During the panel discussion, which rounded up a day of state of the art-presentations by WageIndicator researchers, the above broad topics for future research were proposed by the various panel members, i.e. professors:

• Paul de Beer, Amsterdam

• Rafael Bustillo, Salamanca

• Martin Kahanec, Budapest

• Kea Tijdens, Amsterdam

• Biju Varkey, Ahmedabad

• Klaus Zimmermann, Bonn

Click the name to find a personal contribution in brief (link to video statements).