IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jlabrs/v46y2013i4d10.1007_s12651-013-0142-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unemployment and willingness to accept job offers: results of a factorial survey experiment
[Arbeitslosigkeit und Stellenannahmebereitschaft: Erste Ergebnisse eines Faktoriellen Survey Moduls]

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Abraham

    (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg)

  • Katrin Auspurg

    (University of Konstanz)

  • Sebastian Bähr

    (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg)

  • Corinna Frodermann

    (University of Konstanz)

  • Stefanie Gundert

    (Institute for Employment Research (IAB))

  • Thomas Hinz

    (University of Konstanz)

Abstract

Matching individuals to jobs is a fundamental problem in any labour market. This paper focuses on job characteristics, such as wages, job quality, and distance from the current place of residence, and the impact of these characteristics on the willingness of employed and unemployed individuals to accept new job offers. Using an experimental factorial survey module (FSM) implemented in the fifth wave of a large population survey (Panel Study Labour Market and Social Security), the willingness of employed and unemployed labour market participants to accept new job offers was compared while considering job characteristics like gain of income or commuting distance. In this study, unemployed and employed individuals received the same set of hypothetical job offers. Consistent with theoretical arguments, the about 20,000 evaluations provided by about 4,000 respondents showed that unemployed participants generally exhibit a greater willingness to accept new job offers than employed ones. Moreover, unemployed individuals were likely to make more concessions than employed individuals with respect to job quality, such as accepting fixed-term job offers. Interestingly, little evidence for different decision-making or weightings of mobility costs was found, which enables us to conclude that interregional unemployment disparities can scarcely be explained by unemployed individuals lacking the willingness to work or relocate.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Abraham & Katrin Auspurg & Sebastian Bähr & Corinna Frodermann & Stefanie Gundert & Thomas Hinz, 2013. "Unemployment and willingness to accept job offers: results of a factorial survey experiment [Arbeitslosigkeit und Stellenannahmebereitschaft: Erste Ergebnisse eines Faktoriellen Survey Moduls]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 46(4), pages 283-305, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jlabrs:v:46:y:2013:i:4:d:10.1007_s12651-013-0142-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s12651-013-0142-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12651-013-0142-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12651-013-0142-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Frodermann, Corinna & Auspurg, Katrin & Hinz, Thomas & Bähr, Sebastian & Abraham, Martin & Gundert, Stefanie & Bethmann, Arne, 2013. "Das Faktorielle Survey-Modul zur Stellenannahmebereitschaft im PASS : 5. Erhebungswelle (2011)," FDZ Methodenreport 201305_de, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    2. John T. Addison & Mário Centeno & Pedro Portugal, 2010. "Unemployment Benefits and Reservation Wages: Key Elasticities from a Stripped‐Down Job Search Approach," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 77(305), pages 46-59, January.
    3. Olle Westerlund, 1998. "Internal Migration in Sweden: The Effects of Mobility Grants and Regional Labour Market Conditions," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 12(2), pages 363-388, July.
    4. Oswald, Andrew J., 1996. "A Conjecture on the Explanation for High Unemployment in the Industrialized Nations: Part I," Economic Research Papers 268744, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.
    5. Arntz, Melanie, 2005. "The Geographical Mobility of Unemployed Workers: Evidence from West Germany," ZEW Discussion Papers 05-34, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    6. Gary S. Becker, 1962. "Investment in Human Capital: A Theoretical Analysis," NBER Chapters, in: Investment in Human Beings, pages 9-49, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Peter Boenisch & Lutz Schneider, 2010. "Informal social networks and spatial mobility: the enduring impact of communist history in Eastern Germany," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 483-497.
    8. Richard Blundell & John Ham & Costas Meghir, 1989. "Unemployment and Female Labour Supply," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Joan Muysken & Chris Neubourg (ed.), Unemployment in Europe, chapter 1, pages 9-36, Palgrave Macmillan.
    9. Alison L. Booth & Marco Francesconi & Jeff Frank, 2002. "Temporary Jobs: Stepping Stones Or Dead Ends?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(480), pages 189-213, June.
    10. Devine, Theresa J. & Kiefer, Nicolas M., 1991. "Empirical Labor Economics: The Search Approach," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195059366.
    11. Hannu Tervo, 2000. "Migration and Labour Market Adjustment: Empirical evidence from Finland 1985-90," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 343-360.
    12. Anders Harkman, 1989. "Migration Behaviour Among The Unemployed And The Role Oe Unemployment Benefits," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(1), pages 143-150, January.
    13. Carlsson, Fredrik & Martinsson, Peter, 2001. "Do Hypothetical and Actual Marginal Willingness to Pay Differ in Choice Experiments?: Application to the Valuation of the Environment," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 179-192, March.
    14. Larry A. Sjaastad, 1970. "The Costs and Returns of Human Migration," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Harry W. Richardson (ed.), Regional Economics, chapter 9, pages 115-133, Palgrave Macmillan.
    15. Bloemen, Hans G & Stancanelli, Elena G F, 2001. "Individual Wealth, Reservation Wages, and Transitions into Employment," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 19(2), pages 400-439, April.
    16. Everett Lee, 1966. "A theory of migration," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 3(1), pages 47-57, March.
    17. Noltze, Martin & Schwarze, Stefan & Qaim, Matin, 2012. "Understanding the adoption of system technologies in smallholder agriculture: The system of rice intensification (SRI) in Timor Leste," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 64-73.
    18. Stefanie Eifler, 2007. "Evaluating the Validity of Self-Reported Deviant Behavior Using Vignette Analyses," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 303-318, April.
    19. DaVanzo, Julie, 1978. "Does Unemployment Affect Migration?-Evidence from Micro Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 60(4), pages 504-514, November.
    20. Cragg, John G, 1971. "Some Statistical Models for Limited Dependent Variables with Application to the Demand for Durable Goods," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 39(5), pages 829-844, September.
    21. Ernst P. Goss & Niles C. Schoening, 1984. "Search Time, Unemployment, and the Migration Decision," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 19(4), pages 570-579.
    22. Greenwood, Michael J, 1975. "Research on Internal Migration in the United States: A Survey," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 13(2), pages 397-433, June.
    23. Pissarides, Christopher A & Wadsworth, Jonathan, 1989. "Unemployment and the Inter-regional Mobility of Labour," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 99(397), pages 739-755, September.
    24. Schaffer, Peter V., 1987. "A family model of migration," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 263-269.
    25. Louviere,Jordan J. & Hensher,David A. & Swait,Joffre D., 2000. "Stated Choice Methods," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521788304, January.
    26. Mincer, Jacob, 1978. "Family Migration Decisions," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 86(5), pages 749-773, October.
    27. Harry Telser & Peter Zweifel, 2007. "Validity of discrete-choice experiments evidence for health risk reduction," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 69-78.
    28. Carlin, Paul S. & Flood, Lennart, 1997. "Do children affect the labor supply of Swedish men? Time diary vs. survey data," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 167-183, June.
    29. Vishwanath, Tara, 1989. "Job Search, Stigma Effect, and Escape Rate from Unemployment," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 7(4), pages 487-502, October.
    30. Antolin, Pablo & Bover, Olympia, 1997. "Regional Migration in Spain: The Effect of Personal Characteristics and of Unemployment, Wage and House Price Differentials Using Pooled Cross-Sections," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 59(2), pages 215-235, May.
    31. Charles Brown, 1980. "Equalizing Differences in the Labor Market," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 94(1), pages 113-134.
    32. repec:iab:iabfme:201305(de is not listed on IDEAS
    33. Shields, Gail M & Shields, Michael P, 1989. "The Emergence of Migration Theory and a Suggested New Direction," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(4), pages 277-304.
    34. M. R. Rosenzweig & Stark, O. (ed.), 1997. "Handbook of Population and Family Economics," Handbook of Population and Family Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 1, number 1.
    35. Blundell, Richard & Meghir, Costas, 1987. "Bivariate alternatives to the Tobit model," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1-2), pages 179-200.
    36. Jeff Bennett & Russell Blamey (ed.), 2001. "The Choice Modelling Approach to Environmental Valuation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2028.
    37. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/9704 is not listed on IDEAS
    38. Jackman, Richard & Savouri, Savvas, 1992. "Regional Migration in Britain: An Analysis of Gross Flows Using NHS Central Register Data," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 102(415), pages 1433-1450, November.
    39. Stephen Drinkwater & Peter Ingram, 2009. "How Different are the British in their Willingness to Move? Evidence from International Social Survey Data," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(2), pages 287-303.
    40. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/9704 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Drasch, Katrin & Abraham, Martin, 2019. "Compensating wage differentials and the labor market re-entry of mothers: Evidence from a factorial survey," SocArXiv vap6x, Center for Open Science.
    2. Shi, Lulu P. & Imdorf, Christian & Samuel, Robin & Sacchi, Stefan, 2018. "How unemployment scarring affects skilled young workers : Evidence from a factorial survey of Swiss recruiters," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 52(1), pages .7(1-15).
    3. Philippe Sterkens & Stijn Baert & Eline Moens & Joey Wuyts & Eva Derous, 2024. "I won’t make the same mistake again: burnout history and job preferences," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(1), pages 1-21, March.
    4. Jeff Luckstead & Rodolfo M. Nayga & Heather A. Snell, 2023. "US domestic workers' willingness to accept agricultural field jobs," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(3), pages 1693-1715, September.
    5. Shi, Lulu P. & Imdorf, Christian & Samuel, Robin & Sacchi, Stefan, 2018. "How unemployment scarring affects skilled young workers : Evidence from a factorial survey of Swiss recruiters," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 52(1), pages 1-7.
    6. Viergutz, Tim & Schulze-Ehlers, Birgit, 2018. "Member Commitment and Switching Decisions in Dairy Cooperatives – A Factorial Survey," 2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 276864, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    7. Martin Kroczek & Philipp Kugler, 2022. "Heterogeneous Effects of Monetary and Non-Monetary Job Characteristics on Job Attractiveness in Nursing," IAW Discussion Papers 139, Institut für Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung (IAW).
    8. Kroczek, Martin & Kugler, Philipp, 2022. "Heterogeneous Effects of Monetary and Non-Monetary Job Characteristics on Job Attractiveness in Nursing," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264108, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    9. Bähr, Holger & Kirchmann, Andrea & Schafstädt, Christin & Sippli, Khira & Späth, Jochen & Boockmann, Bernhard, 2019. "Bedarfsgemeinschaften und ihre Mitglieder in der Beratungs- und Vermittlungsarbeit der Jobcenter," IAB-Forschungsbericht 201906, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    10. Lulu P. Shi & Christian Imdorf & Robin Samuel & Stefan Sacchi, 2018. "How unemployment scarring affects skilled young workers: evidence from a factorial survey of Swiss recruiters," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 52(1), pages 1-15, December.
    11. Martin Kroczek & Jochen Späth, 2022. "The attractiveness of jobs in the German care sector: results of a factorial survey," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(9), pages 1547-1562, December.
    12. repec:iab:iabjlr:v:52:i:1:p:art.7 is not listed on IDEAS

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Abraham, Martin & Auspurg, Katrin & Bähr, Sebastian & Frodermann, Corinna & Gundert, Stefanie & Hinz, Thomas, 2013. "Unemployment and willingness to accept job offers : results of a factorial survey experiment (Arbeitslosigkeit und Stellenannahmebereitschaft : Erste Ergebnisse eines Faktoriellen Survey Moduls)," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 46(4), pages 283-305.
    2. Hannu Tervo, 2000. "Migration and Labour Market Adjustment: Empirical evidence from Finland 1985-90," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 343-360.
    3. Birgitta Rabe & Mark P. Taylor, 2012. "Differences in Opportunities? Wage, Employment and House-Price Effects on Migration," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 74(6), pages 831-855, December.
    4. Feridhanusetyawan, Tubagus, 1994. "Determinants of interstate migration in the United States: A search theory approach," ISU General Staff Papers 1994010108000012252, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    5. Raquel Fonseca, 2003. "On the Interaction between Unemployment and Inter-regional Mobility," CSEF Working Papers 105, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    6. Haapanen, Mika, 1998. "Internal Migration and Labour Market Transitions of Unemployment Workers," Discussion Papers 179, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    7. Jorge González-Chapela & Raquel Ortega-Lapiedra, 2021. "Reform of the Personal Income Tax in Spain: Effects on Internal Mobility of the Unemployed," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 166-181, March.
    8. Brian Cushing & Jacques Poot, 2004. "Crossing boundaries and borders: Regional science advances in migration modelling," Advances in Spatial Science, in: Raymond J. G. M. Florax & David A. Plane (ed.), Fifty Years of Regional Science, pages 317-338, Springer.
    9. Sari Pekkala & Hannu Tervo, 2002. "Unemployment and Migration: Does Moving Help?," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 104(4), pages 621-639, December.
    10. G Di Pietro, 2005. "On Migration and Unemployment: Evidence from Italian Graduates," Economic Issues Journal Articles, Economic Issues, vol. 10(2), pages 11-28, September.
    11. Diego R. Medina-Muñoz & Rita D. Medina-Muñoz, 2012. "Determinants of Expenditures on Wellness Services: The Case of Gran Canaria," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(3), pages 309-319, June.
    12. Consuelo Abellán-Colodrón, 1998. "Ganancia salarial esperada como determinante de la decisión individual de emigrar," Investigaciones Economicas, Fundación SEPI, vol. 22(1), pages 93-117, January.
    13. Haapanen, Mika, 2002. "Variation of migration behaviour in population," ERSA conference papers ersa02p283, European Regional Science Association.
    14. Mika Haapanen & Hannu Tervo, 2006. "Migration Behaviour and Duration of Residence Spells of Graduating Students in Finland in 1987-2002," ERSA conference papers ersa06p379, European Regional Science Association.
    15. Antje Mertens & Anette Haas, 2006. "Regionale Arbeitslosigkeit und Arbeitsplatzwechsel in Deutschland – Eine Analyse auf Kreisebene," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 26(2), pages 147-169, October.
    16. Jari Jouni Kalervo Ritsila & Hannu Tervo, 1998. "Regional differences in migratory behaviour in Finland," ERSA conference papers ersa98p39, European Regional Science Association.
    17. Consuelo Gámez Amián & José Ignacio García Pérez, 2002. "Flujos Migratorios entre provincias andaluzas y entre éstas y el resto de España," Economic Working Papers at Centro de Estudios Andaluces E2002/01, Centro de Estudios Andaluces.
    18. Christoph Kern, 2014. "Regional Structures and Mobility Dispositions: A Multilevel Proportional- & Partial-Proportional Odds Approach," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 681, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    19. Angel de la Fuente, "undated". "La dinámica territorial de la población española: Un panorama y algunos resultados provisionales," Studies on the Spanish Economy 05, FEDEA.
    20. Tanja Fendel, 2014. "Work-related Migration and Unemployment [Beschäftigungsmotivierte Umzüge und Arbeitslosigkeit]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 47(3), pages 233-243, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labour supply; Job offer acceptance; Factorial survey; Interregional mobility; Unemployment; Social inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jlabrs:v:46:y:2013:i:4:d:10.1007_s12651-013-0142-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.