Comparison of the labor market between the countries of the Western Balkans

Abstract

The improvement of the labor market, the management, the expansion of foreign direct investment, etc., all play a key role in the economic development of the Western Balkans. The main purpose of this study is to analyze and compare trends in employment, unemployment, gross domestic product (GDP), foreign direct investment (FDI), labor market management and to study the effects of foreign direct investment on employment in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia) between 2015 and 2019. However, evidence for FDI’s impact is mixed (Navaretti & Venables, 2004). In terms of methodology, comparative and empirical analyses of the strength of the correlation between the dependent variable of employment and the independent variable of FDI for the countries of the Western Balkans have been conducted. Based on analyses, the employment rate in the six Western Balkan countries in 2019 has improved when compared to 2018, except in Montenegro, where it has declined. This study will contribute to enhance understanding of the labor market and the impact of FDI on employment in the Western Balkan countries