| Abstract |
Public employment services (hereinafter - PES) operate as governments' tool for implementation of the employment policy, reduction of unemployment and facilitation of competitiveness of the labour market. The key task of the PES is matching of labour supply and demand in order to stabilize the labour market and provide sustainable employment. To achieve these goals, the PES implement employment programmes. According to the job search theory, the outcome of job search depends on (i) jobseeker's human capital (education level, experience, professional and other ("soft") skills, health, etc.) personality traits (ambition, motivation etc.) and social capital (networks); (ii) job search strategy (including the reservation wage) and intensity/effort of job seeking, but (iii) the number of available vacancies and their distribution with respect to offered salary, required qualification and skills, terms and conditions of work. The PES provide assistance in all above-mentioned respects The purpose of this study is to assess efficiency indicators of support methods provided by PES to jobseekers and to collect and analyse local labour market experts' opinions of on the efficiency of the support provided by PES and possible ways to improve it. Using the job search theory as a conceptual framework, this study performs a comparative analysis and assessment of business models of the Latvian, Estonian and Danish PES, support measures implemented by these PES, as well as efficiency indicators used by them. Furthermore, for Latvia we present two city-level case studies using semi-structured interviews with eight labour market experts in Valmiera (a low-unemployment city) and Liepaja (a high-unemployment city). The study results in conclusions regarding the relation of assessment indicators of the support provided by PES in job seeking with the elements of the theory of job search and recommendations for further research of the efficiency of the work of PES. The vision of the local employment experts of efficient PES operation can be ensured through cooperation of the PES and other institutions (municipalities, representatives of employers, trade unions, and educational institutions). The operational efficiency of the PES must be evaluated together with the operation of the mentioned institutions. |