The Department of Labour Market Research (till 1 December 2014 – Institute of Labour and Social Research; from 1 December 2014 until 1 January 2021 – Labour Market Research Institute) is the unit of the Institute of Sociology of the public research centre – the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences (LCSS).
The Department (previously the Institute of Labour and Social Research) was founded in 1991 (its founder – the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania) and by 31 December 2009 acted as a separate legal entity – a scientific research institute that provides research services in the field of social and labour market policies.
Under the Resolution No 1796 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 23 December 2009 “Due to reorganisation of the Social Research Institute and the Institute of Labour and Social Research”, from 1 January 2010, the Lithuanian Social Research Centre took over all the rights and responsibilities of the Labour Market Research Institute. On 1 January 2021, the Lithuanian Social Research Centre became the Institute of Sociology of the LCSS.
ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT:
- The researchers of the Department conduct research on the issues of labour and industrial relations, remuneration, labour market, working conditions, development of human resources, labour market vocational training and guidance, occupational activities, safety and health at work, social insurance, social assistance and other social issues, develop recommendations on social and labour market policy formation and implementation.
- The researchers of the Department actively contribute to the disclosure of labour and social policy problems in the country and enlightenment of the society on the possible solutions of such problems – the reasearchers publish the findings of the research in Lithuanian and foreign scientific journals (about 10-15 articles per year), organise scientific conferences and theoretical seminars as well as presentations of the findings of the research conducted to the customers and other parties concerned; in addition, the staff of the Department read papers in scientific conferences and seminars.
- The reasearchers of the Department share in educational/training activities – researchers deliver lectures at the national universities, provide scientific supervision of students’ theses for doctor’s, master’s and bachelor’s degrees, give series of lectures to students and members of social partner organisations as well as to the staff of other institutions, share in defences (defence councils) of doctoral dissertations, theses for master’s and bachelor’s degrees.
The Department carries out theoretical and applied research under the contracts with the Research Council of Lithuania, the European Commission, the International Labour Organisation, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, the country’s ministries (Social Security and Labour, Economy and Innovation, Education, Science and Sport, ect.), the Public Employment Service, the State Social Insurance Fund Board, municipal administrations and others. Since 1991, the Department has developed over 700 research reports.
STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT:
- The Department employs 9 researchers, all of them have a scientific degree; 6 staff members defended their doctoral dissertations while being on staff at the Department. Head of the department – Dr. Inga Blažienė.
- Other researchers and experts needed for certain surveys are hired under fixed-term employment contracts and/or civil contracts on demand.
The staff members of the Department maintain close scientific relations with institutions for science and studies, governmental and non-governmental organisations in more than 20 countries of the world, share in the activities and projects of international organisations. The ECOTEC Research and Consulting included the Department in the list of the European institutions undertaking labour market research as early as in 1994.