Labor market in Armenia: the situation in Soviet times versus the one in the last decade

Abstract

Upon the dissolution of USSR, the Armenian economy appeared to experience many various changes both in its structure and concepts. New concepts started, little by little, to enter everyday life and become widely accepted. The concept of a labor market may be considered one of them. The command economy of the Soviet era could not allow for such kind of notions. Shifting to the market economy created favorable conditions for their evolving. The labor market may be viewed in terms of demand and supply for labor in particular branches and with particular qualifications. As Guy Standing defines it, the labor market is based on making contracts, accounting for capabilities of person, working environment, statement on security, and norms of behavior of both parties. (1999, pp. 27 - 30) The last decade is commonly known for hardships the country is struggling through and becomes a very interesting object for investigation. What was achieved and/or lost during this period? This question intrigues many investigators in many different spheres of life, however, the area of labor market can be considered the one of primary importance because absence of difficulty in finding jobs is known to facilitate solutions for most other problems. So, the purpose of this paper is to find out what changes are occurring in the labor market in the course of shifting from a command economy to an unplanned one; what problems are posed by these changes and how the labor market is performing in the environment of contemporary Armenia.