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So Many Rocket Scientists, So Few Marketing Clerks: Occupational Mobility in Times of Rapid Technological Change

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  • Campos, Nauro F.

    (University of Newcastle, CEPR, London and Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan)

  • Aurelijus Dabusinskas

    (CERGE-EI, Charles University, Prague.)

Abstract

The transition from centrally planned to market economy involves a process of occupational change that has been largely neglected in the literature. This paper investigates the magnitude and determinants of this process using data from the Estonian Labour Force Survey. We find that almost 50 percent of wage earners changed occupations between 1989 and 1995 and that job tenure is the main determinant of occupational mobility. Our results also show the remarkable speed with which the market mechanism takes root: the returns to current and alternative occupations play, over these few years, increasingly meaningful roles in explaining occupational change.

Suggested Citation

  • Campos, Nauro F. & Aurelijus Dabusinskas, 2002. "So Many Rocket Scientists, So Few Marketing Clerks: Occupational Mobility in Times of Rapid Technological Change," Royal Economic Society Annual Conference 2002 38, Royal Economic Society.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecj:ac2002:38
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jaan Masso & Raul Eamets & Kaia Philips, 2004. "Where Have All The Jobs Gone? Gross Job Flows In Estonia," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 28, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    2. Spagat, Michael, 2006. "Human capital and the future of transition economies," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 44-56, March.
    3. Jaan Masso & Raul Eamets & Kaia Philips, 2004. "Job creation and job destruction in Estonia: labour reallocation and structural changes," UCL SSEES Economics and Business working paper series 39, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES).
    4. Fidrmuc, Jan & Doyle, Orla, 2003. "Anatomy of Voting Behaviour and Attitudes During Post-Communist Transition Czech Republic 1990-98," CEPR Discussion Papers 3801, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Saeed Rasekhi & Saman Ghaderi, 2013. "Marginal Intra-Industry Trade and Employment Reallocation: The Case Study of Iran’s Manufacturing Industries," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 417-429, September.
    6. Neher, Frank, 2011. "Markets wanted: Expectation overshooting in transition," Discussion Papers 2011/1, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    7. Frank Neher, 2013. "Markets wanted: expectation overshooting in transition economies," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 60(2), pages 187-219, June.
    8. Jaan Masso & K. Espenberg & Anu Masso & I. Mierina & Kaia Philips, 2013. "GINI Country Report: Growing Inequalities and their Impacts in the Baltic States Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania," GINI Country Reports baltics, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • C41 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Duration Analysis; Optimal Timing Strategies
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs

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