The thematic R&D group on Labour Economics and Markets examines the interplay between education, labor markets, and economic outcomes. Focusing on the dynamic relationships between employers and employees, the group explores how education impacts employment, wages, and quality of (working) life. Central to the economics of education is the concept of human capital, which includes the skills, knowledge, and abilities gained through education, training, and experience. By investigating how investments in human capital influence individual productivity, earning potential, job performance, income inequality, and economic growth, the group provides valuable insights. Additionally, they analyze labor market factors such as employment rates and wage levels, offering strategies for improving labor market outcomes. Their comprehensive research aids policymakers, businesses, and individuals in navigating the complexities of education, employment and their outcomes.
PhD candidates
Merja Anneli Bäck, Kristel Hallikas, Olena Huzar, Liisi Karindi, Piret Masso, Sanna Pauliina Niinikoski, Ebe Nõmm, Timo Savolainen, Mohammad Toyon, Miia-Maija Vakkuri, Anne Valk, Heidi Vähänikkilä, and M Ruhul Amin (extern)
PhDs completed
-
Tiina Merkuljeva (2023) The effects of external group supervision on the professional performance of Estonian social workers
-
Hala Abdelmoneim Abdallah AbdelGaffar (2021) Responsible Management Education: Practices, Challenges, and Prospects
-
Simona Ferraro (2018 at TTÜ) Essays on Education and Labour Economics
-
Mohamed Mousa (2018) Factors Affecting Organizational Commitment Among Teachers in Egyptian Public Primary Schools
-
Andre Veski (2017 at TTÜ) Agent-Based Computational Experiments in Two-Sided Matching Markets
-
Helbe Põdder (2015 at TTÜ) Töö- ja pereelu ühitamise rollide muutustest lastevanematel Eesti, Soome ja Rootsi võrdluses
-
Triin Lauri (2015 at TLÜ) Governing the School Choice: from Market Mechanisms to Equity Enabling Configurations
Micro-degrees offered
Ongoing research projects
Efficiency and Effectiveness of Training for Teachers’ Pedagogical Digital Competence (EffecTive)
Project Coordinator at EBS: Kaire Põder
Funding: 163 750 EUR
Funder: European Commission (Horizon Europe)
Duration: 01.12.2023−31.12.2026
Ongoing policy analysis / advice
Põhihariduse järgsete koolikohtade jaotamise tsentraalne mehhanism ja selle piloteerimine (PJKOHAD)
Project Coordinator at EBS: Kaire Põder
Funding: 59 967 EUR
Completed R&D projects
Towards gender equality through increased capabilities for work-life balance, WOBACA
Funding: 72820 EUR
Project Coordinator at EBS: Ester Eomois
Funder: EU Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020)
Duration: 01.04.2020-31.03.2022
Funding: 32 430 EUR
Project Coordinator at EBS: Kristiina Urb
Funder: Erasmus+
Duration: 01.09.2017-31.12.2019
Labour Market Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe
Principal investigator: Kaabel, Annika
Funding: 8 500 EUR
Funder: Rising Tide Foundation
Duration: 01.10.2017–31.12.2020
Concultancy and Policy Advice
Research publications
Lauri, Triin; Põder, Kaire. [forthcoming]. “The Moral Economy of Diversification of Educational Options in Four European ’Choice’ Countries” In: Santalova, A; Põder, K. (Ed.). Privatization in and of Public Education. New York: Oxford University Press. (Chapter 2).
Põder, Kaire [forthcoming]. “Policies: The Way Forward for Privatization”, In: Santalova, A.; Põder, K. (Ed.). Privatization in and of Public Education. New York: Oxford University Press. (Chapter 14)
Kalalahti, Mira; Põder, Kaire; Lauri, Triin; Skučienė, Daiva & Niemelä, Pepita [forthcoming]. “The student support system in mediating work-related dropout: A comparative analysis of four worlds of student funding”, Studies in Higher Education.
Lauri, Triin; Põder, Kaire & Nõgisto, Joonatan [forthcoming]. “Legacy Distorted Path of Education Marketization in Three Baltic Countries”, In: Clara Fontdevila, Huriya Jabbar, Antoni Verger, Adrian Zancajo (Ed.). Research Handbook on Education Privatization and Marketization Edward Elgar.
Elenurm, Tiit [forthcoming]. “Social media as an e-learning tool for understanding the challenges of COVID-19 for students”, E-Learning and Digital Media.
Pesor, Renee & Põder, Kaire. (2024). “Evaluation of Active Labor Market Policy Reform: Employment Outcomes of Vocational Rehabilitation Services,” Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 34, 116–127.
Kaire Põder, Triin Lauri & Andre Veski. (2023). Kas Eesti PISA on viltu? Tallinn: Postimehe Kirjastus.
Fred van Raaij, W.; Riitsalu, Leonore & Põder, Kaire. (2023). “Direct and Indirect Effects of Self-Control and Future Time Perspective on Financial Well-being”, Journal of Economic Psychology, 99.
Lauri, Triin; Põder, Kaire. (2023). “Inclusive or divisive choices? Education policy preferences in the bilingual education system of Estonia”, Journal of School Choice, 17(1), 136−160.
Masso, P., Jaakson, K. & Põder, K. (2023). “Is it time to rethink benefit packages? Perks associated with the intention to leave in different age groups during COVID-19”, Personnel Review. Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print.
Koris, R.; Kollinger, I. (2022). “The taming of the scoundrel: how to tempt European Millennials to engage in international work-related mobility“. Development in Learning Organizations An International Journal, 36(2), 8−10.
Põder, Kaire; Lauri, Triin. (2022). “The Legitimacy of Private Schooling: Education Preferences in Nine European Contexts”, Journal of School Choice, 16(3), 388−415.
Cannistrà, Marta; Agasisti, Tommaso; Amagir, Aisa; Poder, Kaire; Holz, Oliver; Vartiak, Lukas & De Witte, Kristof (2022). “A comparative analysis of financial literacy levels and initiatives among students in five European countries” Research in Comparative and International Education, 17(2), 246-280.
Lauri, Triin; Põder, Kaire & Kunitsõn, Nikolai. (2022). “Discrimination or explained differences: individual and school-level effects explaining the minority achievement gap”, Journal of Baltic Studies, 54 (3), 553−480.
Põder, Kaire; Lauri, Triin. (2021). “Classroom, Media and Church: Explaining the Achievement Differences in Civic Knowledge in Bilingual School System of Estonia”, Large-scale Assessments in Education, 9 (3).
Põder, Kaire & Merkuljeva, Tiina (2021). “The effects of external supervision on social workers’ engagement and perceived self-efficacy: A quasi-experimental study”, International Journal of Training and Development, 25(2), 160−182.
Põder, K.; Lauri, T. (2021). “The paradox of state-funded higher education: Does the winner still take it all?”, Education Sciences, 11 (12), 812.
Lauri, Triin; Põder, Kaire & Ciccia, Rosella. (2020). “Pathways to gender equality: A configurational analysis of childcare instruments and outcomes in 21 European countries”, Social Policy & Administration, 54 (5), 646−665.
Kikas, Mart & Aarna, Olav (2019). “Critical Leadership Thinking in Intrapreneurship Education in Europe: the case of Estonia”. In: Jill Jameson (Ed.). International Perspectives on Leadership in Higher Education - Critical Thinking for Global Challenges. (103−113). New York: Routledge. (OXCHEPs Series International Studies in Higher Education).
Koris, Riina; Aav, Silja (2019). “There is more to us than meets the eye: A glimpse into how business school graduates view their purpose”. The International Journal of Management Education, 17 (2), 151−161.
Ferraro, S. & Põder, K. (2018). “School-Level Policies and the Efficiency and Equity Trade-off in Education”, Journal of Policy Modeling, 40 (5), 1022−1037.
Koris, R., Örtenblad, A., & Ojala, T. (2017). “From maintaining the status quo to promoting free thinking and inquiry: Business students´ perspective on the purpose of business school teaching.” Management Learning, 48(2), 174-186.
Tūtlys, V. & Aarna, O. (2017). “Competence-based Approach in the Education Reforms of Lithuania and Estonia”. In: Mulder, Martin (Ed.). Competence-based Vocational and Professional Education. Bridging the Worlds of Work and Education (381−406). Cham: Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG.
Veski, A.; Biro, P.; Põder, K.; Lauri, T. (2017). Efficiency and fair access in kindergarten allocation policy design. Journal of Mechanism and Institution Design 2(1), 57-104.
Veski, A.; Põder, K. (2017). “Zero-intelligence agents looking for a job”. Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, 1−26.
Örtenblad, A., & Koris, R. (2017). “Does it matter who teaches you? A study on the relevance of matching students' and teachers' personalities”, The International Journal of Management Education, 15, pp. 520- 527.
Põder, K.; Lauri T.; Ivaniushina, V.; Alexandrov, D. (2016). “Family Background and School Choice in Cities of Russia and Estonia: Selective Agenda of the Soviet Past and Present”. Studies of Transition States and Societies, 8 (3), 5−28.
Alas, R. & Aarna, O. (2016). “An Interview with Professor Olav Aarna. The Transition from the Soviet Higher Education System to the European Higher Education Area: The Case of Estonia.” Academy of Management Learning & Education, 15 (3), 626−634.
Põder, K.; Lauri, T.; Veski, A. (2016). “Does school admission by zoning affect Educational Inequality? A Study of Family Background Effect in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden”, Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1−26.
Koris, R., & Nokelainen, P. (2015). “The student-customer orientation questionnaire (SCOQ): Application of customer metaphor to higher education”, International Journal of Educational Management, 29(1), 115-138.
Koris, R., Örtenblad, A., Kerem, K., & Ojala, T. (2015). “Student Customer Orientation at a Higher Educational Institution: the Perspective of Undergraduate Business Students”, Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 25(1), 29-44.
Örtenblad, Anders; Koris, Riina (2014). “Is the learning organization idea relevant to higher educational institutions? A literature review and a ‘multi-stakeholder contingency approach’.” International Journal of Educational Management, 28(2), 173−214.
Põder, K.; Lauri, T. (2014) “When Public Acts Like Private: the failure of Estonia’s school choice mechanism”. European Educational Research Journal, 13 (2), 220−234.
Põder, K.; Lauri, T. (2014). Will Choice Hurt? Compared to What? A School Choice Experiment in Estonia. Journal of School Choice: International Research and Reform, 8 (3), 446−474.
Kroos, K. (2013). “Estonian Higher Education and Research Strategy: A Systematic Review and Policy Discussion.” In: Saar, Ellu and Mõttus, René (Eds.). Higher Education at a Crossroad: the Case of Estonia. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 27-69.
Lauri, T.; Põder, K. (2013). “School choice policy: seeking to balance educational efficiency and equity. A comparative analysis of 20 European countries”. European Educational Research Journal, 12(4), 534−552.
Örtenblad, Anders; Koris, Riina; Farquharson, Maris; „Bill“ Hsu, Shih-wei (2013). “Business School Output: A conceptualization of business school graduates”. The International Journal of Management Education, 11(2), 85−92.
Kroos, K. (2006). “The Bologna Process: An Estonian Perspective”. In: Tomusk, Voldemar. (Ed.). Creating the European Area of Higher Education: Voices from the Periphery (117−140). Dordrecht: Springer. (Higher Education Dynamics; Volume 12).