Over the past decade, IZA World of Labor has compiled a vast array of articles and shaped how policymakers, researchers, students and practitioners approach labor market challenges
Exactly ten years ago, IZA, under the leadership of its then-director and Editor-in-Chief Klaus F. Zimmermann, launched IZA World of Labor: a titanic project aimed at creating a labor market encyclopedia accessible for free on the internet and written by the best specialists. The goal of IZA World of Labor is to provide comprehensive, reliable, and up-to-date information resources for decision-makers, advisors, concerned citizens, and others involved in labor issues worldwide. It is designed to be an easy-to-read online encyclopedia containing articles on issues related to people's working lives. The articles summarize cutting-edge research in a way that is easily understood by people with no expert background on the topics covered. The one-page summaries that lead the articles provide readers with a quick overview of the issues and our current understanding.
Thanks to the unique network established since its foundation in 1998, IZA was able to undertake such a project by engaging the best researchers to not only write the articles but also provide feedback on them and handle the editorial work required to produce quality content.
For a decade, IZA's Research Fellows mobilized tirelessly. More than 20 of them actively participated in the Editorial board, kindly and effectively coordinated by Managing Editor Olga Nottmeyer, along with successive directors Alexander Kritikos (former Managing Editor), and Daniel S. Hamermesh (former Editor-in-Chief). Thanks to all of them, IZA World of Labor has become a leading resource, with over 500 articles, many of which have been updated. The platform also includes opinions providing short summaries of research studies for non-expert audiences on current topics. These articles and opinions, frequently cited by the media, are consistently accessed with up to 30K views per year for the most viewed articles listed below.
Thus, over the past decade, IZA World of Labor has compiled a vast array of articles and resources that have shaped how policymakers, researchers, students and practitioners approach labor market challenges. The platform's commitment to synthesizing research into concise, policy-relevant articles ensures that complex studies are transformed into clear, evidence-based recommendations for practical use.
The relevance of IZA World of Labor has only grown as the global economy faces unprecedented challenges like technological disruption, demographic shifts, and climate change. Its role in disseminating research addressing these issues—from the future of work to gender disparities and migration—has never been more crucial.
Looking forward, the next decade for IZA World of Labor promises even greater contributions to the global labor economics discourse. With the ongoing digital transformation and the increasing importance of sustainable practices, the platform is poised to lead conversations and influence policies for equitable and efficient labor markets.
On this anniversary, we must recognize the dedicated Research Fellows and researchers worldwide who contribute their expertise to IZA World of Labor. Their work continues to inspire and inform a broad audience, driving progress in labor policy worldwide. As IZA World of Labor will continue to evolve, it will remain a beacon of knowledge and a critical tool for anyone seeking to understand and improve the labor market.
“To all but academic social scientists, the World of Labor is IZA's most visible product. By providing sound, evidence-based information on a wealth of labor-related topics, for a decade it has done much to justify Deutsche Post's creation of and investment in the IZA.” (Daniel S. Hamermesh, Sue Killam Professor Emeritus, University of Texas at Austin, and former Editor-in-Chief, IZA World of Labor)
© Pierre Cahuc
Pierre Cahuc is Professor at Science Po, France, IZA Research Fellow, and IZA World of Labor Editor-in-Chief
TOP-10 articles
- Entrepreneurs and their impact on jobs and economic growth by Alexander S. Kritikos (30,438 views in the last 12 months)
- Unemployment benefits and unemployment by Robert Moffitt (14,760 views in the last 12 months)
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- Measuring income inequality) by Ija Trapeznikova (11,938 views in the last 12 months)
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- The brain drain from developing countries by Frédéric Docquier (10,871 views in the last 12 months)
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- Environmental regulations and business decisions by Wayne B. Gray (9,139 views in last 12 months
- Demographic and economic determinants of migration by Nicole B. Simpson (8,409 views in last 12 months)
- Women in crime by Nadia Campaniello (8,213 views in the last 12 months)