Abstract
This paper, aims to analyze and profile youth unemployment problem in the Turkish economy and contains three parts: “Conceptual Framework of Unemployment”, “Unemployment Problem in Turkey” and “Youth Unemployment Phenomenon and Youth Unemployment Profile in Turkey”, as well as trend analysis over a long time series (1988-2016) created by using TURKSTAT, OECD and World Bank databases. It also analysis youth unemployment problem by evaluating quantitative indicators and their trend data and tries to make recommendations on strategies and policies essential to the solution of the problem.
TopConceptual Framework Of Unemployment
We can say that unemployment as a concept can acquire a different character depending on the changes in time and place. The definition of unemployment, which was defined as a state of having no job as a result of the absence of skills in the past highlights personal fault (Bayraktar & İncekara, 2013). This primitive definition of unemployment has evolved into an international standard definition made by ILO, and this new definition is based on three criteria. With the presence of the three criteria: demand, availability and state of being unemployed simultaneously, we can describe a person as unemployed.
Unemployment which is the state of failing to use labor power in manufacturing procedures with desired levels and presence of unemployed job demanding people leads to loss of economic effectiveness on the one hand and the emergence of social problems on the other (Kesici, 2010).
In spite of all economic and socio-politic measures, unemployment which is increasing its effects gradually is the individual and social reality that has a negative impact on economies. We can say that unemployment is a society-centered concept and means wasted human capacities of societies.
Unemployment is a failure by labor factor to participate in production and is a fact created by people who cannot find a job opportunity over the current wage level despite supplying their labor power (Bayraktar & İncekara, 2013). Therefore unemployment is not a problem that can be analyzed outside the distribution affairs and requires class-based analysis. It can also be considered as a topic that is directly affected and ignored by the dynamics of profit and accumulation procedures of production sections.
According to Turkish Statistical Institute:
Out of the unemployed people within the reference term (people who have not worked with/without salary or daily wage or a profit sharing scheme and have no connection with such a job), those who have used at least one of the job seeking channels in the last three months and are available to start working in 15 days are included in the unemployed population on condition that they are in non-corporate working age. (www.tuik.gov.tr)
According to Turkish Employment Agency:
Key Terms in this Chapter
Unemployment: The condition faced by people who would like to have a full-time job but fail to do so.
Labor Market: The kind of market created by employees and employers where one provides the supply while the other provides the demand. Labor market is one of the major elements of economies, and it is directly related to the other markets such as the capital market and the market for goods and services.
Youth Unemployment: Defined by UN and ILO as the proportion of unemployed people between the ages of 15-24 in the labor force who are seeking employment.
Hidden Employment: The employment type where employed people have zero or negative effect on the total production.
Employment: An agreement in which an employee agrees to work for an employer.
International Labour Organization: The UN Agency that works on employment and its international standards, social protection, and job opportunities.
PIAAC: Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. The aim of this Programme is to evaluate the key cognitive job skills necessary for people to engage in the community and for growth purposes.
Inflation: Continual increases in the general price level of goods and services in an economy over a specific time period.