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The Labor-market Effects of Service Offshoring: A Synthetic Control Approach with High-dimensional Microdata

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  • Kässi, Otto

Abstract

I use novel high-quality survey data on firms’ international sourcing activities combined with firm-level financial and linked employer–employee data to study the effect of services offshoring on wages and employment. To overcome the endogeneity related to reverse causality and omitted variables, I use microsynth, a variation of the synthetic control method specially developed for high-dimensional microdata. I find that offshoring firms pay higher wages for both high-skilled and low-skilled workers, and employ fewer FTE workers compared with a synthetic control, but these effects take several years to appear.

Suggested Citation

  • Kässi, Otto, 2022. "The Labor-market Effects of Service Offshoring: A Synthetic Control Approach with High-dimensional Microdata," ETLA Working Papers 97, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    • Handle: RePEc:rif:wpaper:97
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Service offshoring; Offshoring;

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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