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Multitasking and Wages

Author

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  • Snower, Dennis J.

    (Hertie School of Governance)

  • Görlich, Dennis

    (Kiel Institute for the World Economy)

Abstract

This paper sheds light on how changes in the organization of work can help to understand increasing wage inequality. We present a theoretical model in which workers with a wider span of competence (higher level of multitasking) earn a wage premium. Since abilities and opportunities to expand the span of competence are distributed unequally among workers across and within education groups, our theory helps to explain (1) rising wage inequality between groups, and (2) rising wage inequality within groups. Under certain assumptions, it also helps to explain (3) the polarization of the income distribution. Using a rich German data set covering a 20-year period from 1986 to 2006, we provide empirical support for our model.

Suggested Citation

  • Snower, Dennis J. & Görlich, Dennis, 2013. "Multitasking and Wages," IZA Discussion Papers 7426, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp7426
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Elsayed, Ahmed & de Grip, Andries & Fouarge, Didier, 2014. "Job Tasks, Computer Use, and the Decreasing Part-Time Pay Penalty for Women in the UK," IZA Discussion Papers 8069, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Consoli, Davide & Marin, Giovanni & Rentocchini, Francesco & Vona, Francesco, 2023. "Routinization, within-occupation task changes and long-run employment dynamics," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    3. Meir Russ, 2017. "The Trifurcation of the Labor Markets in the Networked, Knowledge-Driven, Global Economy," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 8(2), pages 672-703, June.
    4. Ahmed Elsayed & Andries Grip & Didier Fouarge, 2017. "Computer Use, Job Tasks and the Part-Time Pay Penalty," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 55(1), pages 58-82, March.
    5. Tobias Stucki & Daniel Wochner, 2019. "Technological and organizational capital: Where complementarities exist," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 458-487, June.
    6. Cindy M. Cunningham & Robert D. Mohr, 2019. "Using tools to distinguish general and occupation-specific skills," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 53(1), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Yoko Asuyama, 2022. "Doing boss‐like tasks and worker well‐being: Job enrichment revisited," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 36(2), pages 196-230, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    wage inequality; multitasking; tasks; organizational change;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production

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