LONDON, May 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

This year, May 1^st marks the launch of IZA World of Labor, a free, online resurce aimed at decision makers worldwide who need access to concise empirical evidence on issues related to labor economics.

IZA World of Labor is aimed at policy makers, those working in government, NGOs, international organizations, employer associations and unions, but also caters to journalists, economics students and the interested public. Each article adheres to a specially-designed template that includes a one-page compact summary, pros and cons that provide a rounded point of view, the author's policy recommendation and a list of related articles, among other features. The site offers relevant and succinct information on labor economics topics such as labor mobility and flexibility, minimum wage, internationalization of labor markets, migration, diversity, gender balance, development, education and the environment.  

An initiative of the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing, IZA World of Labor combines the accessibility and immediacy of the Internet with rigorous academic research. "I am delighted that this unique project will make evidence-based scholarly information available to a global audience, which is central to IZA's mission. The complex interdependencies of an increasingly globalized world require a new form of analysis and explanation which the portal will provide," says Klaus F. Zimmermann, Professor of Economics at University of Bonn, Director of IZA, and Editor-in-Chief, IZA World of Labor.

IZA World of Labor will host up to 250 articles in its first year, with a total of 500 by the end of 2016, authored by a global team of leading labor economists.

To visit the website from May 1^st please go to http://www.wol.iza.org. Innovative in its condensation and presentation of evidence-based research for a non-academic audience, IZA World of Labor aims to become an indispensable tool for policy formulation and a global portal that allows easy public access to detailed information that sits behind policy decisions.

SOURCE Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)