DP Economics
Question 21M.1.HL.TZ1.a
| Date | May 2021 | Marks available | [Maximum mark: 10] | Reference code | 21M.1.HL.TZ1.a |
| Level | HL | Paper | 1 | Time zone | TZ1 |
| Command term | Explain | Question number | a | Adapted from | N/A |
a.
[Maximum mark: 10]
21M.1.HL.TZ1.a
Explain two causes of structural unemployment.
[10]
Markscheme
Marks should be allocated according to the paper 1 markbands for May 2013 forward, part A.
Answers may include:
- definition of unemployment, structural unemployment
- diagram(s) that show the demand curve for labour shifting to the left and/or surplus of labour due to minimum wage legislation/labour unions
- explanation that a (permanent) decrease in demand for particular labour skills, changes in the geographical location of industries and labour market rigidities, would lead to a surplus of workers (and therefore unemployment)
- examples of industries that have experienced structural unemployment due to relevant causes (e.g. coal miners losing their job due to foreign competition or the advent of alternative sources of energy, workers in the newspaper and retailing businesses losing their jobs due to online competition and new technologies, low-skilled workers remaining unemployed due to minimum wage legislation, etc.).
Examiners should be aware that candidates may take a different approach which, if appropriate, should be rewarded.
Examiners report
Even though many candidates could not precisely define structural unemployment, most of them were able to demonstrate good understanding by the use of appropriate examples.
