Reasons behind changes in the share of labour in national income in the Polish economy: Selected aspects

Aim/purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of structural changes taking place in the Polish economy on the share of labour in national income. Design/methodology/approach – The scope of this study includes a review of the literature dedicated to the issue and an empirical analysis of data available on this topic. The study uses elements of descriptive statistics and the method of induction. Findings – The conducted analysis shows that in the years 2005-2016, a relation contrary to that reported by de Serres, Scarpetta, & de la Maisonneuve (2002), concerning shifts of employee groups between sectors of the national economy, prevailed in Poland. No research results on the impact of the decrease in the share of self-employed on the decrease in the share of labour in the national income have been confirmed. At the same time, the effect of changes in the relation between employee remuneration and the added value, resulting from their transition between sectors of the national economy, was positively verified. Research implications/limitations – The results related to changes in the share of self- -employed in the national economy should be treated with caution, as there are also economically inactive entities listed in the Central Statistical Office (GUS) register. Originality/value/contribution – To date, in Poland comprehensive research into the influence of structural changes on the share of labour in national income has not been conducted.