Beyond Growth: Mapping the Institutional Determinants of Job Quality and Inclusive Prosperity

Porras Arena (2022) demonstrates that economic growth alone doesn’t guarantee improvements in job quality—rather, labor institutions (laws, bargaining mechanisms) play a pivotal role. This research would systematically map global cases where job quality improved independently of, or in tandem with, GDP growth, using institutional reforms as the explanatory variable. By applying mixed-methods—combining panel econometrics with in-depth case studies—this project moves beyond “growth-centric” paradigms, emphasizing well-being and labor dignity as core components of prosperity. It fills a gap in the literature by reconceptualizing long-run prosperity metrics and could inform more holistic development policy frameworks.

References:

1. A relationship between job quality and economic growth over the long run and the role of labour institutions: the case of Uruguay, 1991–2018. María Sylvina Porras, María Sylvina, Porras Arena (2022). CEPAL Review.