Institutional problems of the labor market in Poland in the second decade of the 21st century

Abstract : The article focuses on the institutional problems of the labor market in Poland in the second decade of the XXI century. The theoretical background of this research assumes that the different labor market problems are rooted in the institutional environment – the system of formal and informal institutions of this market. Labor market institutions are defined as formal legal regulations (formal institutions), and the attitudes and behaviors of market participants (informal institutions) that influence the quantity of work and wage levels. These institutions are created by the state or they arise spontaneously as a result of economic, political and social changes. In the first part of this article, I will present Poland’s place in the rankings of institutional indicators established by the World Economic Forum or Heritage Foundation, in the second – I will analyze the institutional freedom in the Polish labor market and the problem of regulation and deregulation of this market. In the following sections – I will present the labor market interest groups, the institution of the minimum wage and the gender gap as an institutional problem of this market. All analyzes will be carried out for Poland and for some OECD countries.

Keywords : institutional economics, labor market, institutions.

JEL Classification : B15, B25, B52, J08.