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The Task Content of Occupations

Author

Listed:
  • Bittarello, Luca

    (Northwestern University)

  • Kramarz, Francis

    (Uppsala University)

  • Maitre, Alexis

    (Sciences Po, Paris)

Abstract

This paper evaluates how an increase in the supply of skilled labor affects task assignment within and between occupations. Guided by a simple theoretical framework, we exploit detailed information about individual workers' tasks from multiple surveys to examine the impact of a twofold rise in the share of university graduates in the French workforce between 1991 and 2013. Our identification strategy uses variation in the change in the graduate share across local labor markets. We find that higher average educational attainment is associated with more routine, fewer cognitive and fewer social tasks within occupations and with fewer routine, more cognitive and more social tasks across occupations.

Suggested Citation

  • Bittarello, Luca & Kramarz, Francis & Maitre, Alexis, 2018. "The Task Content of Occupations," IZA Discussion Papers 12006, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    task; supply shock; routine tasks; cognitive tasks; social tasks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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