Livelihoods and Employment

The structure of economics have changed drastically in recent decades. The service economies have given way to knowledge economies. The new workspace is characterised by remote communications, reduction of labour usage, increase in the recreation and leisure economy, borderless economies, digital technology and on-line service delivery, and artificial intelligence. Global academic and practice discussions at present are concerned about the ‘future of work’ and the changing nature of work. While automation has shaped and impacted jobs for decades, recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) combined with automation and other demographic trends such as ageing populations, and development processes such as rapid urbanisation have accelerated changes in jobs. Though increasing ‘informality’ may not necessarily create further precarity, it raises questions on what kind of jobs would be left to be pursued and for whom. Given CEPA’s overall focus on understanding factors that keep poor people in poverty and those that help them move out, the Livelihood and Employment thematic proposes to focus on this changing nature of work and understand who is impacted and how. The possibilities of further exacerbating inequalities is troubling. However, rise of the organic economy, back to nature programs will have baring on how people will work. In terms of global discourses, this thematic is geared towards discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals and Future of Work, and at a national level towards economic development policies of the government. Research. The research strands within this theme would primarily focus on the micro-economy.