This article uses Australian panel data to investigate the decline in the self-employment rate in Australia. Our analysis shows that the self-employment rate has declined in Australia because older workers, especially older female workers, remain longer in paid employment. We show that although the self-employment rate of older workers remains higher than that of younger workers, the gap has decreased. We argue that there is evidence that industry and institutional changes may have contributed to an increase in the labour force participation of older women and may explain why the decline of self-employment has been particularly pronounced for this group."> This article uses Australian panel data to investigate the decline in the self-employment rate in Australia. Our analysis shows that the self-employment rate has declined in Australia because older workers, especially older female workers, remain longer in paid employment. We show that although the self-employment rate of older workers remains higher than that of younger workers, the gap has decreased. We argue that there is evidence that industry and institutional changes may have contributed to an increase in the labour force participation of older women and may explain why the decline of self-employment has been particularly pronounced for this group."> This article uses Australian panel data to investigate the decline in the self-employment rate in Australia. Our analysis shows that the self-employment">
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The Decline of the Self-Employment Rate in Australia

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  • Kadir Atalay
  • Woo-Yung Kim
  • Stephen Whelan
Abstract
type="main" xml:lang="en"> This article uses Australian panel data to investigate the decline in the self-employment rate in Australia. Our analysis shows that the self-employment rate has declined in Australia because older workers, especially older female workers, remain longer in paid employment. We show that although the self-employment rate of older workers remains higher than that of younger workers, the gap has decreased. We argue that there is evidence that industry and institutional changes may have contributed to an increase in the labour force participation of older women and may explain why the decline of self-employment has been particularly pronounced for this group.

Suggested Citation

  • Kadir Atalay & Woo-Yung Kim & Stephen Whelan, 2014. "The Decline of the Self-Employment Rate in Australia," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 47(4), pages 472-489, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausecr:v:47:y:2014:i:4:p:472-489
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    1. Self-employment rate falling in Oz
      by Nicholas Gruen in Club Troppo on 2013-03-06 16:22:44

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    1. Mark Wooden, 2021. "Job Characteristics and the Changing Nature of Work," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 54(4), pages 494-505, December.
    2. Elisa Birch & Alison Preston, 2022. "The Australian labour market in 2021," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 22-02, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    3. Pekkala Kerr, Sari & Kerr, William, 2020. "Immigrant entrepreneurship in America: Evidence from the survey of business owners 2007 & 2012," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(3).
    4. Pi-Shen Seet & Wee-Liang Tan, 2024. "The impact of positive and negative psychological affect and overconfidence from major family events on new venture survival," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 1617-1647, September.
    5. Inga Laß & Mark Wooden, 2019. "Non-standard Employment and Wages in Australia," RBA Annual Conference Papers acp2019-04, Reserve Bank of Australia, revised Jul 2019.

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