Mobilité externe sur le marché du travail russe, 1994-1998. Une approche en termes d'activités

This paper emphasises an explanation to the paradoxically low unemployment rate in Russia compared with output fall. The RLMS micro economic data and the definition of an original taxonomy of activities reveal a high external mobility on the labour market. The observed fall in formal employment is the main characteristic of this adjustment. Facing the instability of labour demand, different individual strategies emerge, according to individual and household characteristics. While these micro economic data show the high flexibility of the Russian labour market, rapid reallocations of labour depend on effective activity opportunities, which are differentiated among individuals. Classification JEL : J2 J6 P2