Measuring Overwork in China Using Daily High-Resolution Nighttime Satellite Data

Area of Science:

• Economics
• Sociology
• Geospatial Analysis

Background:

• Overwork is a significant global issue with substantial health and economic consequences.
• Existing research on overwork is hindered by a lack of uniform measurement across regions and time.
• Nocturnal light data offers a promising avenue for objectively assessing socioeconomic activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an objective and uniform index for measuring overwork.
• To overcome limitations of previous overwork assessments due to inconsistent methodologies.
• To provide a adaptable tool for analyzing labor dynamics and income distribution.

Main Methods:

• Combined high-resolution, daily nightlight satellite data with firm registration data from China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC).
• Developed the overwork index at both grid and prefecture levels.
• Validated the index's responsiveness to national and local socioeconomic events.

Main Results:

• The developed overwork index demonstrates objective measurement capabilities.
• The index exhibits responsiveness and aligns with known national and local events.
• The methodology provides a uniform and adaptable approach to overwork assessment.

Conclusions:

• The novel overwork index offers a standardized and objective method for measuring labor overextension.
• This approach, utilizing nightlight data and firm registration, is adaptable for international application.
• The index provides valuable data for economic and sociological studies on labor and income inequality.