Abstract
The purpose of this study is to clarify changes in the local labor market in connection with changes that evolved in employment of the construction industry in peripheral regions after the late 1990s. The study area is Nishi-usuki in Miyazaki Prefecture. Since the 1970s, a number of construction companies have been located in this area due to increasing public investment. However, it is expected that the local labor market has been affected recently by changes in public investment and the regulations governing construction companies. The author discusses the following points: 1) the changes in public investment and the regulations governing construction companies after the late 1990s; 2) changes in the employment strategies of construction companies; and 3) the expansion of business sections other than engineering-works business. The results are summarized as follows.
Since the late 1990s, public investment has tended to decline, the labor unit price in public works has dropped sharply, and the demand for engineers has tended to increase. Because of these changes, construction companies have reduced the number of their production labor workers and made working conditions worse in this area.
During 1995-2000, the number of employed persons 60 years of age and older and women decreased markedly in the construction industry. Recently, the number of male employed 50 to 59 years of age has also decreased. On the other hand, young engineers have increased in number. These are the main influences of the change in the public investment policy affecting the labor market in this area during and after the late 1990s.
The construction companies that expanded sections other than engineering-works business in the late 1990s increased in number. However, the expanded sections were mainly related to public works, such as pipe construction business. The construction companies that expanded sections other than those related to public works and increased the number of workers were few in number.
