Graph-theoretic approach and bifurcation analysis of skill acquisition and its effect on unemployment.

Abstract

In developing countries, the informal sector plays a crucial role in employing unskilled labor workforce and contributes significantly to economic growth. Informal sector also facilitates skill acquisition, which enhances workers' employability. This research work presents a dynamical model examining how skilled individuals in the informal sector influence unemployment dynamics. The model considers unemployed persons (both unskilled and skilled) and employed persons as dynamic variables. We analyze the feasibility and stability of all equilibria for the proposed dynamical system. A quantity R0, analogous to the basic reproductive ratio in epidemic models, is derived. We also demonstrate the existence of various bifurcations, including transcritical, saddle-node, Hopf, and Bogdanov-Takens bifurcations. Additionally, we apply a graph-theoretical approach to analyze unemployment patterns and connections within the labor workforce. This provides insights into the structure and dynamics of unemployment networks, complementing the dynamical system's analysis. By combining dynamical system's theory with graph theory, this study provides a comprehensive, multi-dimensional understanding of unemployment dynamics in developing economies characterized by substantial informal sector.