Labour Market Changes in a Local Area, 1988‐1990

Presents the results of a research project aimed at examining the changes in the characteristics of a sample of the unemployed in a local area, over a two‐year period during which the unemployment rate fell by 40 per cent. The databases used were two large‐scale surveys of registered unemployed in Stoke‐on‐Trent, UK, in 1988 and 1990. The main surprise in the results is the similarity in the structure of the samples, in terms of characteristics such as skill and education levels,over the period. Further results concern the “mismatch” of the unemployed with the reported vacancies in the area for each year. Strong evidence is found showing no change in the extent of mismatch between the unemployed and vacancies in the two surveys, despite the important changes in the economic environment.