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Unemployment is defined as a situation in the economy where there are people between the age
of sixteen until sixty-five who are not working or unable to find work but are actively seeking jobs.
Unemployment is a significant socio-economic issue that affects individuals, families, and entire
communities around the world. High levels of unemployment can have far-reaching consequences on
both the individual and society as a whole, impacting economic stability, social well-being, and overall
quality of life. Unemployment is often used as a measure of the health of the economy.
There are two types of employees that occur seeking jobs. First and foremost is the labor force.
Any member of the general population between the ages of 16 and 65 who is not incarcerated and is
either employed or unemployed but looking for work. In addition to being in institutions (like colleges),
those who are not in the labor force may also be willfully unemployed and not looking for work. Second
is full employement. The economy is in this state when all resources are being used to create goods and
services. In an economy, full employment is defined as 95% to 96% of total employment. The remaining
4%–5% of the labor force is unemployed due to frictional, structural, or technological reasons, and this is
Next, unemployment rate is a measure of the percentage of the labor force that is unemployed
and actively seeking employment. It is an important economic indicator that reflects the health of the
job market. The most frequent method to measure the unemployment rate is by dividing the number of
unemployed individuals by the total labor force and multiplying by 100 to get the unemployment rate as
. Labor Force
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Figure 1 the data of unemployment rate in Malaysia
The figure above shows the data of the unemployment rate in Malaysia from 2010 until 2020.
This can clearly be seen that the unemployment rate in Malaysia is the highest in 2020 when the
inflation rate is lower because according to the Phillips Curve, the relationship between inflation and
TYPES OF UNEMPLOYMENT
1. CYCLICAL UNEMPLOYMENT
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Unemployment resulting from insufficient total spending. The quantity of total spending
determines the quantity of national output, which determines the quantity of employment. The business
or trade cycle gives this type of unemployment its name. Economic Cycle is used to describe the
long-term, cyclical ups and downs in the level of economic activity. There is a peak in the business cycle,
a time of full employment when prices tend to rise (also known as the booming period). After some
time, there will be a recession, marked by a drop in overall output, income, employment, and trade. The
economy and economic activity slow down at this time, and some companies may close their doors or
lay off employees in an effort to save costs. During the recovery phase, the economy recovered and jobs
increased. Cyclical unemployment, which can last for years, is a severe issue for a nation and can be
2. SEASONAL UNEMPLOYMENT
This refers to employees who are employed for at least a portion of the year yet experience
seasonal unemployment at other periods. Examples include rubber tappers who cannot produce during
wet seasons, fishermen who cannot catch fish, and farmers who cannot harvest crops during cold
weather. These types of workers must possess abilities in other industries in order to continue working
throughout these seasons. For instance, when they are unable to fish, fishermen might grow their own
3. FRICTIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT
This is the type of unemployment brought on by employees quitting their jobs voluntarily and by
brief layoffs. When people leave their jobs in search of a better position or salary or when recent
graduates look for their first job, this could even occur when there is full employment. Although
unemployment is a transient state for these people, it lasts the entire year for the economy. However, it
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is not a significant issue for the nation. If job seekers have appropriate knowledge of the labor market or
use organizations that can assist them in finding employment, their time spent unemployed may be cut
short.
4. STRUCTURAL UNEMPLOYMENT
factors such as technology, competition, and government policy. Employers may not require workers'
skills, or workers may not have the necessary abilities to find employment, which results in
unemployment. There are labour surpluses in some geographic regions and occupations and shortages
in others. For instance, if the mine closed, a coal miner with no other skills might still be without a job.
This type of unemployment cannot be prevented and can happen even in a fully employed economy.
Structural unemployment can last for decades and usually requires a radical change to reverse.
5. TECHNOLOGICAL UNEMPLOYMENT
procedures, rearranged factory layouts, or improved management approaches. The requirement for
labour might decrease if industries adopt more advanced equipment and computers. This type of
unemployment can happen even in full employment and is also unavoidable. The government might
6. UNDEREMPLOYMENT
When a person does not work full-time or accepts a job that does not reflect their true training
and financial needs, they are considered underemployed. That instance, their employment does not
require all of their abilities and education, or it pays less than full-time. This is not the same as being
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unemployed, which refers to persons who are not currently working. When a skilled worker is denied the
For an individual, unemployment results in both financial and emotional anguish for a person.
Unemployment can cause a loss of self-worth and a sense of inadequacy that can result in despair,
irritability, an increase in domestic violence, and even suicide. Those who are still working could worry
that they'll be the ones laid off next, which could stress them out and impair their effectiveness at work.
For Economy : Low Production And Income, Slow Growth And High Poverty
For the economy, unemployment is a production loss brought on by idle resources. While the
populace goes without the items that these resources could have offered, resources sit inert during
periods of unemployment. Millions of Americans became hungry during the Great Depression of the
1930s, and vast quantities of food rotted away for lack of a viable market. Due to the inability of
factories to sell their goods, consumers were unable to purchase these goods since they lacked
employment. A significant unemployment issue indicates a deteriorating economy. Low output levels
and income are the result. Long-term unemployment will cause poverty to increase.
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MEASURES TO REDUCE UNEMPLOYMENT
Using monetary tools, the government and the central bank can expand the money supply and generate
more credit. More business will result from an increase in the amount of money in circulation activities
and boost the number of jobs. Additionally, the Expansionary Monetary Policy is referred to here. The
usage of monetary instruments enables an increase in the amount of money in the commercial bank. As
a result, banks are better able to lend money, enabling businesses and consumers to meet their demand
for goods and services. A rise in employment results from an increase in the economy's total demand.
Controlling the money supply is a short-term strategy to lower unemployment, especially cyclical
unemployment. A persistent growth in the money supply could eventually cause an inflation issue.
This covers the statutory reserve, liquid assets, and cash needs. By lowering the percentage of
reserves required from deposits, the goal is to boost the bank's capacity to generate credit.
The banks can reduce the length of time for loan repayment by converting long- and
medium-term loans to short-term loans. They are able to expand the number of loans thanks to
this.
To raise the purchasing power of the populace and promote expenditure, the central bank will
purchase short-term bonds from businesses or the public on the open market. Demand growth
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4. Decrease Interest Rate
The central bank will persuade commercial banks to reduce their rate of interest on deposits.
This will reduce total savings and increase the level of demand for money. On the other hand,
when all banks decrease interest rates, the cost of credits to the public will be reduced. This will
increase public purchasing activities and increase the demand for money. Unemployment also
will be reduced when firms offer more jobs. The central bank will persuade commercial banks to
reduce their rate of interest on deposits. This will attract more credit and increase the level of
demand.
A reduction in the bank rate that the central bank charges discount houses, which will have an
impact on all other market rates and permit more money to circulate in the economy.
QUALITATIVE measures include allowing and supporting the banks and financial institutions to advance
1. Decrease in taxes
A decrease in direct and indirect taxes on businesses and households will result in
increased demand for goods and services due to increased consumption. A rise in
investment will result from an increase in investment, which will increase employment
On the other hand, more money will be spent by the government to enhance overall
demand. To meet the demand for goods and services from the government, more
workers will be employed. The government and the country may be forced to finance
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the deficit that results from the excess of government expenditure over tax collection in
the long run, therefore fiscal policy can only be undertaken in the short term.
Workers can adapt to the changes in technology by receiving professional training and
technical and vocational education in relevant subjects. This could boost knowledge and
2) Migration of Labor
One option is through shifting or migrating labour to regions where it is required. While
surplus or unemployed workers from certain areas to those that require labour will assist
solve the issue. However, organisations or the government will need to ensure that they
have employment and access to transportation. But this is only a short-term fix and a
temporary measure.
Long-term unemployment relief, particularly for seasonal and covert unemployment, can
be achieved by the construction of new land. The government offers additional regions
to developers through organisations like RISDA, FELDA, and FELCRA in order to give them
long-term employment. Additionally, this will halt the flow of villagers into cities,
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4) Birth control
Birth control measures may also be supported in order to moderate the expansion of the
labour supply in an economy. This might aid in lowering frictional and hidden
finite number of job openings by limiting the birth rate. Long-term effects of this action
can be observed.
Economic diversification can result in job growth. A country can generate goods and
services across a variety of markets and sectors by diversifying its economy, even if it
lacks a comparative advantage in the production of such goods and services. The
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WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND UNEMPLOYMENT
a country’s economic performance and shows the ability of workers to readily find gainful employment
unemployment is a key sign of the strength and stability of an economy. High unemployment rates can
be a sign of deeper issues like a slowing economy, a lack of investment, or ineffective labour market
regulations. Policymakers, economists, and companies can devise measures to support job creation and
Next, unemployment will affect inflation rates and central banks' actions regarding monetary
policy, which has an impact on inflation. A theory in economics called the Phillips curve proposes a
trade-off between inflation and unemployment. Economic experts can help policymakers set the right
interest rates and monetary policies by analyzing unemployment trends, determining the possible
Other than that, understanding unemployment is crucial for long-term economic planning. It
helps in identifying structural labour market problems including demographic shifts, technology
disruptions, or changes in international trade patterns. Policymakers may create policies to adapt and
retrain the workforce, encourage innovation, and promote sectors that can lead to future employment
All in all, understanding unemployment is crucial for economic stability, inflation management,
and for long-term economic planning. It makes it possible for business leaders, economists, and
policymakers to take well-informed judgements and put specific plans into action that will lessen the
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References
Figure 1: Unemployment rate in Malaysia from 2010 to 2020. Source: DOSM... (n.d.). ResearchGate.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Unemployment-rate-in-Malaysia-from-2010-to-2020-Sourc
e-DOSM-2020_fig1_344349921
Pettinger, T. (2019, June 14). Policies for reducing unemployment. Economics Help. Retrieved June 21,
2023, from
https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/3881/economics/policies-for-reducing-unemployment/
Tretina, K. (2022, August 31). Inflation And Unemployment – Forbes Advisor. Forbes. Retrieved June 19,
Unemployment: Its Measurement and Types | Explainer | Education. (n.d.). Reserve Bank of Australia.
https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/unemployment-its-measurement-and-t
ypes.html
Vorster, S. (n.d.). Policies to Reduce Unemployment (4.7.5) | CIE IGCSE Economics Revision Notes 2020.
https://www.savemyexams.co.uk/igcse/economics/cie/20/revision-notes/4-government-and-the
-macroeconomy/4-7-employment-and-unemployment/4-7-5-policies-to-reduce-unemployment/
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