DIGITALIZATION AND QUALITY OF LABOR: CONTRADICTIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND THE PROSPECTS OF HARMONIZATION

This paper aims at determining the influence of digitalization on quality of labor in developing countries. Originality and novelty of this research consist, firstly, in specifying the characteristics and systemic treatment of quality of labor in view of the priorities of all interested parties - entrepreneurship, employees, and government. Secondly, the influence of digitalization on quality of labor is studied in detail at the empirical level of economics with the use of statistical data, which allows determining precise causal connections and forming a reliable evidential base of the considered concept. Thirdly, an assumption of contradiction of the influence of digitalization on quality of labor is a new one. This influence is not treated positively a priori - instead of this, we offer a hypothesis on the combination of the positive and negative influence, which is verified in the course of the research. Fourthly, experience of developing countries is studied, which allows determining the specifics of the influence of digitalization on quality of labor in these countries as compared to developed countries. This will help differentiating the practices of digitalization from the positions of the consequences for labor quality and developing separate approaches for labor quality management in the digital economy of developing countries. Fifthly, digitalization is specified, and the influence of various directions of digitalization on quality of labor is studied. This allows obtaining detailed conclusions and compiling highly-effective practical recommendations. As a result, it has been determined that the maximum systemic growth of characteristics of labor quality based on digitalization in developing countries in the period until 2024 constitutes 78.63%. Harmonization of digitalization in developing countries for the purpose of increasing labor quality envisages increase of the level of development of digital technologies by 68.83% and digital perspectives by 46.22%. Management implications are offered for this.