Labour economics, or labor economics, seeks to understand the functioning and dynamics of the markets for wage labour. Labour is a commodity that is supplied by labourers, usually in exchange for a wage paid by demanding firms. Because these labourers exist as parts of a social, institutional, or political system, labour economics must also account for social, cultural and political variables.
Job advertisement board in Shenzhen
The neoclassical model analyzes the trade-off between leisure hours and working hours.
Railroad work
An advertisement for labour from Sabah and Sarawak, seen in Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur
Work or labour is the intentional activity people perform to support the needs and wants of themselves, others, or a wider community. In the context of economics, work can be viewed as the human activity that contributes towards the goods and services within an economy.
A blacksmith working
A World War II aircraft worker, Vega Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, California, 1942.
Piano tuner is an example of an unusual profession.
Bal maidens with traditional tools and protective clothing spalling ore, 1858