IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/bfr/banfra/431.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Age Biased Technical and Organisational Change, Training and Employment Prospects of Older Workers

Author

Listed:
  • Behaghel, L.
  • Caroli, E.
  • Roger, M.

Abstract

We analyze the role of training in mitigating the negative impact of technical and organizational changes on the employment of older workers. Using a panel of French firms in the late 1990s, our empirical analysis confirms that new technologies and some innovative workplace practices are biased against older workers. The use of the Internet and the adoption of computer networks tend to increase the wage share of middle-aged workers and to reduce the share of workers older than 50. By contrast, the reduction of the number of hierarchical layers is favourable to older workers. Training contributes to protect older workers in terms of employment and/or of wages.

Suggested Citation

  • Behaghel, L. & Caroli, E. & Roger, M., 2013. "Age Biased Technical and Organisational Change, Training and Employment Prospects of Older Workers," Working papers 431, Banque de France.
    • Handle: RePEc:bfr:banfra:431
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://publications.banque-france.fr/sites/default/files/medias/documents/working-paper_431_2013.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Picchio, Matteo & van Ours, Jan C., 2013. "Retaining through training even for older workers," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 29-48.
    2. Patrick Aubert & Eve Caroli & Muriel Roger, 2006. "New technologies, organisation and age: firm-level evidence," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 116(509), pages 73-93, February.
    3. Dag Rønningen, 2007. "Are technological change and organizational change biased against older workers? Firm-level evidence," Discussion Papers 512, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    4. repec:dau:papers:123456789/10093 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Beckmann, Michael & Schauenberg, Bernd, 2007. "Age-biased technological and organizational change: firm-level evidence and management implications," Working papers 2007/05, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    6. Andrea Bassanini, 2006. "Training, wages and employment security," Post-Print halshs-00120488, HAL.
    7. Torbjørn Hægeland & Dag Rønningen & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2007. "Adapt or withdraw? Evidence on technological changes and early retirement using matched worker-firm data," Discussion Papers 509, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    8. Leora Friedberg, 2003. "The Impact of Technological Change on Older Workers: Evidence from Data on Computer Use," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 56(3), pages 511-529, April.
    9. Bartel, Ann P & Sicherman, Nachum, 1993. "Technological Change and Retirement Decisions of Older Workers," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 11(1), pages 162-183, January.
    10. Borghans, L. & ter Weel, B.J., 2002. "Do older workers have more trouble using a computer than younger workers?," ROA Research Memorandum 1E, Maastricht University, Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA).
    11. Michele Boldrin & Juan J. Dolado & Juan F. Jimeno & Franco Peracchi, 1999. "The future of pensions in Europe," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 14(29), pages 288-320.
    12. Andrea Bassanini, 2006. "Training, wages and employment security: an empirical analysis on European data," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(8), pages 523-527.
    13. Schleife, Katrin, 2008. "IT Training and Employability of Older Workers," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-021, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    14. Timothy F. Bresnahan & Erik Brynjolfsson & Lorin M. Hitt, 2002. "Information Technology, Workplace Organization, and the Demand for Skilled Labor: Firm-Level Evidence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(1), pages 339-376.
    15. Eve Caroli & John Van Reenen, 2001. "Skill-Biased Organizational Change? Evidence from A Panel of British and French Establishments," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 116(4), pages 1449-1492.
    16. Michele Boldrin & Juan J. Dolado & Juan F. Jimeno & Franco Peracchi, "undated". "The future of pension systems in Europe. A reappraisal," Working Papers 99-08, FEDEA.
    17. Borghans, L. & ter Weel, B.J., 2002. "Do older workers have more trouble using a computer than younger workers?," ROA Research Memorandum 1E, Maastricht University, Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA).
    18. Yoram Ben-Porath, 1967. "The Production of Human Capital and the Life Cycle of Earnings," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 75(4), pages 352-352.
    19. repec:dau:papers:123456789/10051 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Katrin Schleife, 2006. "Computer Use and Employment Status of Older Workers — An Analysis Based on Individual Data," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 20(2), pages 325-348, June.
    21. Younghwan Song, 2009. "Training, Technological Changes, and Displacement," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 30(3), pages 201-218, September.
    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. Caroline Mothe & Thuc Uyen Nguyen-Thi, 2021. "Does age diversity boost technological innovation? Exploring the moderating role of HR practices," Post-Print hal-03969462, HAL.
    2. Konle-Seidl, Regina, 2017. "Retention and re-integration of older workers into the labour market: What works?," IAB-Discussion Paper 201717, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    3. Jasmine Mondolo, 2022. "The composite link between technological change and employment: A survey of the literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 1027-1068, September.
    4. Sotiris Blanas & Gino Gancia & Sang Yoon (Tim) Lee, 2019. "Who is afraid of machines?," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 34(100), pages 627-690.
    5. Paweł Chrostek & Krzysztof Karbownik & Michał Myck, 2024. "Labor Market Externalities of Pre-retirement Employment Protection," NBER Working Papers 32371, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Barth, Erling & Davis, James C. & Freeman, Richard B. & McElheran, Kristina, 2023. "Twisting the demand curve: Digitalization and the older workforce," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 443-467.
    7. Annika Campaner & John S. Heywood & Uwe Jirjahn, 2022. "Flexible work organization and employer provided training: Evidence from German linked employer‐employee data," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(1), pages 3-29, February.
    8. Boockmann, Bernhard & Fries, Jan & Göbel, Christian, 2018. "Specific measures for older employees and late career employment," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 159-174.
    9. Yashiro, Naomitsu & Kyyrä, Tomi & Hwang, Hyunjeong & Tuomala, Juha, 2020. "Technology, Labour Market Institutions and Early Retirement: Evidence from Finland," IZA Discussion Papers 13990, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Alex Coad, 2018. "Firm age: a survey," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 13-43, January.
    11. Michele Battisti & Christian Dustmann & Uta Schönberg, 2023. "Technological and Organizational Change and the Careers of Workers," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 21(4), pages 1551-1594.
    12. Sotiris Blanas, 2019. "The distinct effects of information technologies and communication technologies on the age-skill composition of labour demand," Working Paper Research 365, National Bank of Belgium.
    13. Fries, Jan, 2014. "Age and skill bias of trade liberalisation? Heterogeneous employment effects of EU Eastern Enlargement," ZEW Discussion Papers 14-113, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    14. Grillitsch, Markus & Schubert, Torben & Srholec, Martin, 2016. "Knowledge diversity and firm growth: Searching for a missing link," Papers in Innovation Studies 2016/13, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    15. Guerrazzi, Marco, 2014. "Workforce ageing and the training propensity of Italian firms: cross-sectional evidence from the INDACO survey," MPRA Paper 56826, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Anne Sonnet & Hilde Olsen & Thomas Manfredi, 2014. "Towards More Inclusive Ageing and Employment Policies: The Lessons from France, The Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland," De Economist, Springer, vol. 162(4), pages 315-339, December.
    17. Sandulli, Francesco D. & Baker, Paul M.A. & López-Sánchez, José I., 2013. "Can small and medium enterprises benefit from skill-biased technological change?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(10), pages 1976-1982.
    18. Torben Schubert & Martin Andersson, 2015. "Old is gold? The effects of employee age on innovation and the moderating effects of employment turnover," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1-2), pages 95-113, March.
    19. Jorge Calero & Álvaro Choi, 2015. "The distribution of skills among the European adult population and unemployment: a comparative approach," Working Papers 2015/35, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).

    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. Pierre-Jean Messe & Eva Moreno-Galbis & François-Charles Wolf, 2014. "Retirement intentions in the presence of technological change: Theory and evidence from France," TEPP Working Paper 2014-04, TEPP.
    2. Boockmann, Bernhard & Fries, Jan & Göbel, Christian, 2018. "Specific measures for older employees and late career employment," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 159-174.
    3. Bertschek Irene & Meyer Jenny, 2009. "Do Older Workers Lower IT-Enabled Productivity?: Firm-Level Evidence from Germany," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(2-3), pages 327-342, April.
    4. Jenny Meyer, 2011. "Workforce age and technology adoption in small and medium-sized service firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 305-324, October.
    5. Barth, Erling & Davis, James C. & Freeman, Richard B. & McElheran, Kristina, 2023. "Twisting the demand curve: Digitalization and the older workforce," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 443-467.
    6. Patrick Aubert & Ève Caroli & Muriel Roger, 2006. "Nouvelles technologies et nouvelles formes d'organisation du travail. Quelles conséquences pour l'emploi des salariés âgés ?," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 57(6), pages 1329-1349.
    7. Meyer, Jenny, 2008. "The Adoption of New Technologies and the Age Structure of the Workforce," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-045, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    8. Caroli, Ève, 2004. "Note de synthèse sur l'emploi des travailleurs âgés face à l'innovation," CEPREMAP Working Papers (Docweb) 0503, CEPREMAP.
    9. Nicole Bosch & Bas ter Weel, 2013. "Labour-market outcomes of older workers in the Netherlands: Measuring job prospects using the occupational age structure," CPB Discussion Paper 234.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    10. Hudomiet, Péter & Willis, Robert J., 2022. "Computerization, obsolescence and the length of working life," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    11. Beckmann, Michael & Schauenberg, Bernd, 2007. "Age-biased technological and organizational change: firm-level evidence and management implications," Working papers 2007/05, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    12. Dag Rønningen, 2007. "Are technological change and organizational change biased against older workers? Firm-level evidence," Discussion Papers 512, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    13. Nicole Bosch & Bas ter Weel, 2013. "Labour-Market Outcomes of Older Workers in the Netherlands: Measuring Job Prospects Using the Occupational Age Structure," De Economist, Springer, vol. 161(2), pages 199-218, June.
    14. Sotiris Blanas & Gino Gancia & Sang Yoon (Tim) Lee, 2019. "Who is afraid of machines?," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 34(100), pages 627-690.
    15. Nicole Bosch & Bas ter Weel, 2013. "Labour-market outcomes of older workers in the Netherlands: Measuring job prospects using the occupational age structure," CPB Discussion Paper 234, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    16. Tito Boeri & Jan van Ours, 2013. "The Economics of Imperfect Labor Markets: Second Edition," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 10142.
    17. Cindy Zoghi & Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia, 2007. "Which workers gain upon adopting a computer?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(2), pages 423-444, May.
    18. Luc Behaghel, 2006. "Changement technologique et formation tout au long de la vie," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 57(6), pages 1351-1382.
    19. Meyer, Jenny, 2007. "Older Workers and the Adoption of New Technologies," ZEW Discussion Papers 07-050, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    20. Torbjørn Hægeland & Dag Rønningen & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2007. "Adapt or withdraw? Evidence on technological changes and early retirement using matched worker-firm data," Discussion Papers 509, Statistics Norway, Research Department.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technical change; organizational change; training; older workers.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:bfr:banfra:431. 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: Michael brassart (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/bdfgvfr.html .

    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.