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Skill bias, age and organizational change

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  • O'Mahony, Mary
  • Peng, Fei

Abstract

This paper considers evidence on the impact of ICT on demand for different types of workers, focusing in particular on the age dimension. It first examines data from EUKLEMS using regressions standard in the literature and suggests ICT may have adversely affected older workers, in particular high skilled males aged 50 and over. The paper then uses data from the EU Labour Force Survey, linked to EUKLEMS, to examine whether the observed differences by worker type could be due to variations in on the job training. It shows that training linked to ICT use can explain some of the wage variation and that reluctance by older men to undertake training has a role as well as lower offers of training by firms.

Suggested Citation

  • O'Mahony, Mary & Peng, Fei, 2009. "Skill bias, age and organizational change," MPRA Paper 38767, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:38767
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bertschek, Irene & Meyer, Jenny, 2010. "IT is never too late for changes? Analysing the relationship between process innovation, IT and older workers," ZEW Discussion Papers 10-053, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    2. Göbel, Christian & Zwick, Thomas, 2010. "Which personnel measures are effective in increasing productivity of old workers?," ZEW Discussion Papers 10-069, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Pascal Petit, 2010. "Innovation and Services: On Biases and Beyond," Chapters, in: Faïz Gallouj & Faridah Djellal (ed.), The Handbook of Innovation and Services, chapter 17, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Bellmann, Lutz & Dummert, Sandra & Leber, Ute, 2013. "Betriebliche Weiterbildung für Ältere – eine Längsschnittanalyse mit den Daten des IAB-Betriebspanels," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 67(4), pages 311-330.
    5. Sotiris Blanas, 2017. "Offshoring and the Age-Skill Composition of Labour Demand," Working Papers 209919378, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    6. Carmichael, Fiona & Ercolani, Marco & Kang, Lili & Maimaiti, Yasheng & O'Mahony, Mary & Peng, Fei & Robinson, Catherine, 2009. "Training, education and productivity," MPRA Paper 39899, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Peng, Fei & Anwar, Sajid & Kang, Lili, 2017. "New technology and old institutions: An empirical analysis of the skill-biased demand for older workers in Europe," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 1-19.
    8. Lili Kang & Fei Peng, 2018. "Economic Reform and Productivity Convergence in China," Arthaniti: Journal of Economic Theory and Practice, , vol. 17(1), pages 50-82, June.
    9. Carmichael, Fiona & Ercolani, Marco G., 2015. "Age-training gaps across the European Union: How and why they vary across member states," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 6(C), pages 163-175.
    10. Lili Kang & Fei Peng, 2017. "Wage flexibility in the Chinese labour market, 1989–2009," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(4), pages 616-628, April.
    11. Peng, Fei & Kang, Lili, 2013. "Market Mechanism and Skill Premiums in the UK 1972-2002," MPRA Paper 50195, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Lewis, Paul & Peng, Fei, 2012. "Baumol and the post-industrial trilemma: examining the relationship between productivity, prices and wages," MPRA Paper 48019, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Earnings; Age; Information Technology; Training;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • 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
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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