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Absenteeism and peer interaction effects: Evidence from an Italian Public Institute

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  • De Paola, Maria

Abstract

Using microdata for a sample of about 350 workers employed by an Italian public institute, we explain individual absence rates considering both variables that may be related to health conditions and variables that may suggest shirking behaviour. Among these variables we especially focus our attention on the influence produced by the behaviour of randomly assigned peers. In order to handle reflection problems, we combine random assignment with the use of instrumental variables. The proportion of females in the peer group is used as an instrument of peer absence behaviour. From Two-Stage Least Square estimates it emerges that social and group interaction plays an important role in shaping individual absence behaviour.

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  • De Paola, Maria, 2010. "Absenteeism and peer interaction effects: Evidence from an Italian Public Institute," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 420-428, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:39:y:2010:i:3:p:420-428
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    Cited by:

    1. Stephen L. Ross, 2009. "Social Interactions within Cities: Neighborhood Environments and Peer Relationships," Working papers 2009-31, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    2. Lorenz, Olga & Goerke, Laszlo, 2015. "Commuting and Sickness Absence," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113173, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    3. Carlsen, Benedicte, 2012. "From absence to absenteeism? A qualitative cross case study of teachers’ views on sickness absence," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 129-136.
    4. Nicolas R. Ziebarth & Martin Karlsson, 2014. "The Effects Of Expanding The Generosity Of The Statutory Sickness Insurance System," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2), pages 208-230, March.
    5. Elizabeth Ananat & Shihe Fu & Stephen L. Ross, 2013. "Race-Specific Agglomeration Economies: Social Distance And The Black-White Wage Gap," Working Papers 13-24, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    6. Elizabeth Ananat & Shihe Fu & Stephen L. Ross, 2020. "Agglomeration Economies and Race Specific Spillovers," Working Papers 2020-069, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    7. Brunello, Giorgio & De Paola, Maria & Rocco, Lorenzo, 2023. "Pension Reforms, Longer Working Horizons and Absence from Work," IZA Discussion Papers 15871, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Alessandra Del Boca & Maria Laura Parisi, 2010. "Why does the private sector react like the public to law 133? A microeconometric analysis of sickness absence in Italy," Working Papers 1008, University of Brescia, Department of Economics.
    9. Jakub Grossmann, 2021. "Sick Pay and Absence from Work: Evidence from Flu Exposure," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp690, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Absenteeism Shirking Peer effects;

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • M50 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - General

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