Title: The Tunisian labour market after the Arab Spring: trends, prospects and new policies

Authors: Abdessalem Gouider

Addresses: University of Sfax, URECA, Sfax 3000, Tunisia

Abstract: Prior to the revolution of December 2010, which started the 'Arab Spring', Tunisia was pictured by international institutions as a successful North African economy. However this assessment masked major problems. In the labour market there was widespread youth unemployment at the same time as educational levels were rising. The social dislocation this produced contributed to the revolt. This paper reviews the nature of the labour market in Tunisia and the role of unemployment and especially youth unemployment. It then considers the challenges to the new Tunisia and policy needs to improve the employment situation. In particular this involves encouraging a shift to more formal forms of employment and taking advantage of the knowledge basis created by an educated labour force.

Keywords: Tunisia; labour markets; Arab Spring; revolutions; demonstrations; protests; civil resistance; civil wars; popular uprisings; graduate unemployment; new policies; reforms; North Africa; youth unemployment; educational levels; social dislocation; revolts; formal employment; knowledge base; educated labour forces; management concepts; management philosophy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMCP.2013.052830

International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, 2013 Vol.7 No.1, pp.31 - 46

Published online: 05 Apr 2013 *

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