The Labor Supply and Retirement Behavior of China’s Older Workers and Elderly in Comparative Perspective

Giles, John; Wang, Dewen; Cai, Wei

dc.creator	Giles, John
dc.creator	Wang, Dewen
dc.creator	Cai, Wei
dc.date	2012-03-19T18:05:40Z
dc.date	2012-03-19T18:05:40Z
dc.date	2011-10-01
dc.date.accessioned	2023-02-17T21:00:29Z
dc.date.available	2023-02-17T21:00:29Z
dc.identifier	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20111024112519
dc.identifier	http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3619
dc.identifier.uri	http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/CUHPOERS/244583
dc.description	This paper highlights the employment patterns of China's over-45 population and, for perspective, places them in the context of work and retirement patterns in Indonesia, Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom. As is common in many developing countries, China can be characterized as having two retirement systems: a formal system, under which urban employees receive generous pensions and face mandatory retirement by age 60, and an informal system, under which rural residents and individuals in the informal sector rely on family support in old age and have much longer working lives. Gender differences in age of exit from work are shown to be much greater in urban China than in rural areas, and also greater than observed in Korea and Indonesia. Descriptive evidence is presented suggesting that pension eligible workers are far more likely to cease productive activity at a relatively young age. A strong relationship between health status and labor supply in rural areas is observed, indicating the potential role that improvements in access to health care may play in extending working lives and also providing some basis for a common perception that older rural residents tend to work as long as they are physically capable. The paper concludes with a discussion of measures that may facilitate longer working lives as China's population ages.
dc.language	English
dc.relation	Paper is funded by the Knowledge for Change Program (KCP),Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5853
dc.rights	CC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.rights	World Bank
dc.subject	ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
dc.subject	ACCOUNTING
dc.subject	AGE DISTRIBUTION
dc.subject	AGE POPULATIONS
dc.subject	AGE SUPPORT
dc.subject	AGING POPULATION
dc.subject	AGING POPULATIONS
dc.subject	AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
dc.subject	BLUE COLLAR OCCUPATIONS
dc.subject	BULLETIN
dc.subject	CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT
dc.subject	DEMOGRAPHERS
dc.subject	DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION
dc.subject	DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
dc.subject	DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
dc.subject	DEVELOPMENT POLICY
dc.subject	DISABILITY
dc.subject	DISLOCATED WORKERS
dc.subject	DISPLACED WORKERS
dc.subject	EARLY RETIREMENT
dc.subject	ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC RESOURCES
dc.subject	ECONOMIC STATUS
dc.subject	EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
dc.subject	ELDERLY
dc.subject	ELDERLY POPULATION
dc.subject	EMPLOYABILITY
dc.subject	EMPLOYEE
dc.subject	EMPLOYMENT
dc.subject	EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN
dc.subject	EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES
dc.subject	EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS
dc.subject	EMPLOYMENT RATE
dc.subject	EMPLOYMENT RATES
dc.subject	EMPLOYMENT STATUS
dc.subject	EXTENDED FAMILY
dc.subject	FAMILY MEMBERS
dc.subject	FAMILY SUPPORT
dc.subject	FEMALE EMPLOYMENT
dc.subject	FEMINIST
dc.subject	GENDER DIFFERENCES
dc.subject	GENDER DISCRIMINATION
dc.subject	GENDER DISPARITY
dc.subject	HEALTH INSURANCE
dc.subject	HEALTH PROBLEMS
dc.subject	HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION
dc.subject	HOURS OF WORK
dc.subject	HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS
dc.subject	HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
dc.subject	HOUSEHOLD WEALTH
dc.subject	HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
dc.subject	HUMAN RESOURCES
dc.subject	HUSBANDS
dc.subject	INCOME
dc.subject	INFORMAL SECTOR
dc.subject	INFORMAL SECTOR WORKERS
dc.subject	INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSFERS
dc.subject	INTERNATIONAL POPULATION
dc.subject	JOB HISTORY
dc.subject	JOB LOSS
dc.subject	JOB PLACEMENT
dc.subject	JOB SEARCH
dc.subject	JOBS
dc.subject	LABOR ALLOCATION
dc.subject	LABOR ECONOMICS
dc.subject	LABOR FORCE
dc.subject	LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION
dc.subject	LABOR INCOME
dc.subject	LABOR MARKET
dc.subject	LABOR MARKET OUTCOMES
dc.subject	LABOR MARKETS
dc.subject	LABOR REGULATION
dc.subject	LABOR RELATIONS
dc.subject	LABOR RESEARCH
dc.subject	LABOR SUPPLY
dc.subject	LARGE CITIES
dc.subject	LAYOFF
dc.subject	LEGAL SUPPORT
dc.subject	LEVELS OF EDUCATION
dc.subject	LIFETIME EARNINGS
dc.subject	LOW UNEMPLOYMENT
dc.subject	LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
dc.subject	MALE COUNTERPARTS
dc.subject	MANDATORY RETIREMENT
dc.subject	MARITAL STATUS
dc.subject	MARRIED COUPLES
dc.subject	MARRIED WOMEN
dc.subject	MIGRANT
dc.subject	MIGRANTS
dc.subject	MIGRATION
dc.subject	NATIONAL PENSION
dc.subject	NORMAL RETIREMENT AGE
dc.subject	NUTRITION
dc.subject	OLD AGE
dc.subject	OLD AGE LABOR SUPPLY
dc.subject	OLD-AGE
dc.subject	OLDER ADULTS
dc.subject	OLDER HUSBANDS
dc.subject	OLDER MEN
dc.subject	OLDER WOMEN
dc.subject	OLDER WORKERS
dc.subject	PENSION
dc.subject	PENSION BENEFITS
dc.subject	PENSION COVERAGE
dc.subject	PENSION INCOME
dc.subject	PENSION INCOMES
dc.subject	PENSION PLAN
dc.subject	PENSION PROGRAM
dc.subject	PENSION PROGRAMS
dc.subject	PENSION SCHEME
dc.subject	PENSION SYSTEM
dc.subject	PENSION SYSTEMS
dc.subject	PENSION WEALTH
dc.subject	PENSIONS
dc.subject	POLICY DISCUSSIONS
dc.subject	POLICY RESEARCH
dc.subject	POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER
dc.subject	POLITICAL ECONOMY
dc.subject	POOR HEALTH
dc.subject	POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT
dc.subject	POPULATION CENSUS
dc.subject	PRESENT EVIDENCE
dc.subject	PRIVATE EMPLOYERS
dc.subject	PRIVATE SECTOR
dc.subject	PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS
dc.subject	PRIVATE TRANSFER
dc.subject	PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY
dc.subject	PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYMENT
dc.subject	PRODUCTIVE WORK
dc.subject	PRODUCTIVITY
dc.subject	PROGRESS
dc.subject	PROVISION OF CARE
dc.subject	PUBLIC PENSION
dc.subject	PUBLIC SERVICES
dc.subject	REEMPLOYMENT CENTERS
dc.subject	RESEARCH COMMUNITY
dc.subject	RETIREES
dc.subject	RETIREMENT
dc.subject	RETIREMENT AGE
dc.subject	RETIREMENT AGES
dc.subject	RETIREMENT BEHAVIOR
dc.subject	RETIREMENT DECISION
dc.subject	RETIREMENT DECISIONS
dc.subject	RETIREMENT INCENTIVES
dc.subject	RETIREMENT PLANNING
dc.subject	RETIREMENT SURVEY
dc.subject	RETIREMENT SYSTEMS
dc.subject	RURAL AREAS
dc.subject	RURAL COUNTIES
dc.subject	RURAL POPULATION
dc.subject	RURAL RESIDENTS
dc.subject	RURAL WOMAN
dc.subject	RURAL WOMEN
dc.subject	SELF-EMPLOYMENT
dc.subject	SELFEMPLOYMENT
dc.subject	SERVANTS
dc.subject	SKILLED LABOR
dc.subject	SKILLED WORKERS
dc.subject	SMALL ENTERPRISES
dc.subject	SOCIAL INSURANCE
dc.subject	SOCIAL INSURANCE BENEFITS
dc.subject	SOCIAL PROTECTION
dc.subject	SOCIAL SCIENCES
dc.subject	SOCIAL SECURITY
dc.subject	SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT
dc.subject	SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS
dc.subject	SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM
dc.subject	SOCIAL SECURITY REFORMS
dc.subject	SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM
dc.subject	SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEMS
dc.subject	SPOUSE
dc.subject	SPOUSES
dc.subject	URBAN AREAS
dc.subject	URBAN EMPLOYMENT
dc.subject	URBAN MIGRATION
dc.subject	URBAN POPULATIONS
dc.subject	URBAN WOMEN
dc.subject	URBAN WORKERS
dc.subject	URBANIZATION
dc.subject	WAGE EMPLOYMENT
dc.subject	WAGE INCREASES
dc.subject	WAGES
dc.subject	WORK ACTIVITIES
dc.subject	WORK ACTIVITY
dc.subject	WORK HOURS
dc.subject	WORK IN PROGRESS
dc.subject	WORKER
dc.subject	WORKFORCE
dc.subject	WORKING
dc.subject	WORKING HOURS
dc.subject	WORKING LIFE
dc.subject	WORKPLACE
dc.subject	YOUNG AGE
dc.subject	YOUNG AGES
dc.subject	YOUNG WORKERS
dc.subject	YOUNGER WORKERS
dc.subject	YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
dc.title	The Labor Supply and Retirement Behavior of China’s Older Workers and Elderly in Comparative Perspective
dc.type	Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
dc.coverage	East Asia and Pacific
dc.coverage	East Asia and Pacific
dc.coverage	East Asia
dc.coverage	Asia
dc.coverage	China