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Signalling and Productivity Effects of Overeducation: Is It Really a Waste of Resources?

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  • Abbi Kedir
  • Andri Kyrizi
  • Francisco Martinez-Mora

Abstract

Overeducation raises concerns that governments may be overinvesting in education. To inform the debate, this paper studies the impact of overeducation on productivity. We advance the literature by considering that returns to overeducation may be due both to productivity and signalling effects. To disentangle both effects, we apply Wolpin’s (1977) methodology and compare the rates of return of screened (employed) and unscreened (self-employed) workers. To overcome well-known endogeneity problems due to unobserved heterogeneity, we estimate a panel with individual and employment-status fixed effects. Our results show that signalling effects are relevant and that overeducation does not carry a productivity penalty.

Suggested Citation

  • Abbi Kedir & Andri Kyrizi & Francisco Martinez-Mora, 2012. "Signalling and Productivity Effects of Overeducation: Is It Really a Waste of Resources?," Discussion Papers in Economics 12/19, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester.
    • Handle: RePEc:lec:leecon:12/19
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    Cited by:

    1. Davia, Maria A. & McGuinness, Seamus & O'Connell, Philip J., 2016. "Determinants of Regional Differences in Rates of Overeducation in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 10250, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Carolina Castagnetti & Luisa Rosti & Marina Toepfer, 2017. "Overeducation and the Gender Pay Gap in Italy. A Double Selectivity Approach," DEM Working Papers Series 144, University of Pavia, Department of Economics and Management.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Overeducation; signalling model; human capital model; unobserved heterogeneity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • 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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