DEADLINE 31 of AUGUST 2024
Research Assistant: planned obsolence@Università di Pisa
CONTEXT and DESCRIPTION of the position
Keywords: planned obsolescence, idiosyncratic sectoral shocks, working time reduction, waste
Under the initiative “Well-being In a Dematerialized Economy (WIDE),” supported by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (PRIN PNRR), the Dipartimento di Economia e Management will appoint 1 skilled research assistant position in the field of Economics.
The central thrust revolves around enhancing the longevity of products, with a focus on strategies to combat planned obsolescence. The project seeks to identify and address the obstacles hindering the transition toward more durable products, both from the standpoint of producers and consumers. Furthermore, the project aims to explore the conditions under which the resultant gains in material efficiency can not only lead to reduced waste generation but also contribute to reductions in working hours without corresponding decreases in compensation. Are the advancements in material efficiency that come from prolonged product lifecycles distinct from the previous developments that failed to deliver the reduction in working hours that Keynes predicted almost a century ago?
This project is based Luzzati et al. (2022). We will first concentrate on theoretical and empirical aspects, then integrate this within an Integrated Assessment Model. One specific issue is to contextualise the extension of product lifecycles within a multisectoral model, wherein a positive productivity shock affects a single sector. Consequently, the project spans from Industrial Organization, Labour Markets, Theoretical models, and IAM implementation.
Luzzati, T., Distefano, T., Ialenti, S., & Andreoni, V. (2022). The circular economy and longer product lifetime: Framing the effects on working time and waste. Journal of Cleaner Production, 380, 134836.
The full WIDE initiative is descriped here: https://wide.ec.unipi.it/
PERIOD
The 12-month position is projected to commence around October 2024.
SALARY
The net monthly remuneration is around 1,790 Euros. To assess this compensation consider that the cost of living in the Tuscany region is not high. For instance, the average monthly rent for a single room in a shared flat is approximately 350-400 Euros, a coffee is 1.20, you can eat at the university restaurant for about 8€, and in a restaurant a full lunch is 13€.
REQUIREMENTS
Applicants need to hold a Master’s degree in Economics or a related discipline. Preferably, they should also have a PhD in Economics or a related discipline, or be in the final stages of completing it.
HOW TO APPLY
Here is the call: CALL_planned_obsolescence_Pisa
VISIT THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR APPLYING:
https://bandi.unipi.it/public/Bandi/Detail/12bca21e-7ac0-475b-b6f6-8aff45482bd4