structural unemployment

American  

noun

1. unemployment caused by basic changes in the overall economy, as in demographics, technology, or industrial organization.

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structural unemployment British  

noun

1. economics unemployment resulting from changes in the structure of an industry as a result of changes in either technology or taste

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structural unemployment Cultural  

1. Relatively long-lasting unemployment resulting from long-term shifts in economies and markets rather than short-term savings in economic conditions.

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Structural unemployment tends to develop around major changes in an economy, such as the move from an industrial to a technological economy. Workers displaced by the decline of the old economy tend not to be trained in fields suitable for the new economy, so they remain out of work.

Etymology

Origin of structural unemployment

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

This would mean significantly higher structural unemployment for longer periods.

From Washington Post • May 13, 2020

Like Georgescu and Langone, Rupert feared unrest and asked, “How is society going to cope with structural unemployment and the envy, hatred and the social warfare?”

From Salon • Aug. 11, 2015

It also won’t segue into permanent, structural unemployment that will persist even with an improved economy.

From US News • Sep. 29, 2014

What is noticeable, though, is that structural unemployment – the unemployment that remains even after economies have recovered – has been on an upward trend over the last 25 years.

From The Guardian • Feb. 19, 2013

It resembles the Central Asian states in     its majority Muslim population, high structural unemployment, and low     standard of living.

From The 1992 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency