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Trade, tasks and training: The effect of offshoring on individual skill upgrading

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  • Jan Hogrefe
  • Jens Wrona

Abstract

We offer a theoretical explanation and empirical evidence for a positive link between increased offshoring and individual skill upgrading. Skill upgrading takes the form of on-the-job training, complementing the existing literature, which mainly focuses on the retraining of displaced workers. To establish a link between offshoring and on-the-job training, we introduce an individual skill upgrading margin into the Grossman and Rossi-Hansberg ( ) model of offshoring. By scaling up worker's wages, offshoring creates previously unexploited skill upgrading possibilities, which lead to more training. Using data from German manufacturing, we establish a causal link between industry-level offshoring growth and increased individual skill upgrading.

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  • Jan Hogrefe & Jens Wrona, 2015. "Trade, tasks and training: The effect of offshoring on individual skill upgrading," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 48(4), pages 1537-1560, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:cje:issued:v:48:y:2015:i:4:p:1537-1560
    DOI: 10.1111/caje.12156
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    1. O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), 2011. "Handbook of Labor Economics," Handbook of Labor Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 4, number 4.
    2. Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2001. "Continuous training in Germany," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 14(3), pages 523-548.
    3. O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), 2011. "Handbook of Labor Economics," Handbook of Labor Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 4, number 5.
    4. Gene M. Grossman & Esteban Rossi‐Hansberg, 2012. "Task Trade Between Similar Countries," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 80(2), pages 593-629, March.
    5. Acemoglu, Daron & Autor, David, 2011. "Skills, Tasks and Technologies: Implications for Employment and Earnings," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 12, pages 1043-1171, Elsevier.
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    Cited by:

    1. Akay, Alpaslan & Savsin, Selen, 2022. "Offshoring and well-being of workers," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 388-407.
    2. Borrs, Linda & Eppelsheimer, Johann, 2020. "The effects of foreign direct investment on job stability: Upgrades, downgrades, and separations," IAB-Discussion Paper 202024, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    3. Wilhelm Kohler & Jens Wrona, 2021. "Trade in tasks: Revisiting the wage and employment effects of offshoring," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 54(2), pages 648-676, May.
    4. Paulo Bastos & Joana Silva & Rafael Proença, 2016. "Exports and Job Training," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(4), pages 737-756, September.
    5. Machin, Stephen & Costa, Rui & Dhingra, Swati, 2019. "Trade and Worker Deskilling," CEPR Discussion Papers 13768, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Jan Hogrefe & Yao Yao, 2016. "Offshoring and labor income risk: an empirical investigation," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 1045-1063, May.
    7. Zierahn, Ulrich Theodor & Arntz, Melanie & Hogrefe, Jan, 2015. "Heterogeneous Labor Market Adjustments to Offshoring in European Regions," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112976, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    8. Koerner, Konstantin & Borrs, Linda & Eppelsheimer, Johann, 2023. "FDI and onshore job stability: Upgrades, downgrades, and separations in multinationals," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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