For this session we are pleased to welcome Michael Aklin, Policy & Sustainability Chair at the College of Management of Technology, EPFL. He will present his research on:
Pricing Job Priorities in Coal Communities
Abstract:
Policymakers in the United States and elsewhere have launched a range of place-based policies to create jobs in at-risk fossil fuel-extractive regions via tax incentives for employers and other measures. But little is known about the career preferences of workers living in these regions, nor about their willingness to commute or relocate for work. We investigate job preferences of workers in US coal communities, focusing on trade-offs between wages, location, commute, retraining, and sectoral preferences. Our findings reveal a strong aversion to coal sector jobs, a substantial satisfaction loss from commuting, and a tolerance for retraining as long as it is compensated, while unionization plays a minor role in job selection. Policymakers can address wage disparities in renewable energy roles by enhancing non-monetary job attributes, such as remote work options, which are highly valued. More broadly, our study underscores the importance of aligning industrial policy with local community aspirations to ensure the success of economic revitalization efforts in fossil fuel-dependent regions.
Authors: J. Lim (UNC Chapel Hill), A. Farzaneh (University of Pittsburgh), Shanti Gamper-Rabindran (University of Pittsburgh), Morgan Frank (University of Pittsburgh)
A light buffet will be served following the seminar, providing an opportunity for further discussion and networking.