Social networks in the construction labour market a study of migrant construction workers in

Abstract

Labour migration has been a phenomenon that has been studied by different scholars for the last two centuries. Classical economists regarded migration as a consequence of macro economic factors such as cycles of expansion and contraction of the economy or geographical concentration of means of production leading to urbanization. The neo-classical approaches to understanding labour migration use economic variables such as differentials in wage, income and unemployment rate. The most popular approach to the study of the phenomenon of labour migration has been the quotPush-Pullquot framework of analysis. However, labour migration is not merely an economic phenomenon. People, who migrate in search of employment, do not do so for economic reasons alone. There are social factors that influence migration decisions. Besides, migrant workers have to build their social capital by developing their social networks in order to survive and succeed in the place of destination. These social networks of migrant labour influence relationships in the labour markets of the place of destination. Therefore, this research is an attempt to understand the socio-economic processes involved in the phenomenon of labour migration and its influence on labour markets of the place of destination. This study is situated in the Indian context, where uneven development in different parts of the country have resulted in movement of people from less developed regions to more developed regions. Therefore, this research is on domestic migration of labour from one State to another. Being a prosperous small State on the western coast of India, Goa has been considered an ideal setting for this research as it has been attracting a large number of migrant workers to fuel its high rate of economic growth. Finally, the study focuses on the construction labour market since the construction industry depends on large networks of contractors and sub-contractors, who employ cheap migrant labour.