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Parental Background and Earnings: German Evidence on Direct and Indirect Relationship

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Author Info

  • Thomas Cornelissen

    () (Leibniz Universität Hannover)

  • Uwe Jirjahn

    () (Leibniz Universität Hannover)

  • Georgi Tsertsvadze

    () (Feri Rating & Research, Bad Homburg)

Abstract

Using data from the German Socioeconomic Panel (GSOEP), the study analyzes the direct and indirect effects of parental background on employees’ earnings. To examine indirect effects we estimate the determinants of the employees’ years of schooling. In a second step, we run wage regressions to examine direct effects. Our results suggest that the direct and indirect effects of parental background driving the intergenerational correlation of socioeconomic status are complex. It is not only important to differentiate between mother’s and father’s education. It is also important to take into account other parental characteristics such as maternal labor force participation and the parents’ occupational status and fertility. Moreover, we find that interaction effects play an important role. The returns to schooling depend on the employees’ parental background.

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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Department of Statistics and Economics in its journal Journal of Economics and Statistics.

Volume (Year): 228 (2008)
Issue (Month): 5+6 (December)
Pages: 554-572
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Handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:228:y:2008:i:5-6:p:554-572

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Related research

Keywords: Parental education; maternal labour force participation; schooling; wages; intergenerational mobility;

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References

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Cited by:
  1. Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel & Jens Stephani, 2009. "Geringverdiener: Wem und wie gelingt der Aufstieg?," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Department of Statistics and Economics, vol. 229(5), pages 584-614, October.

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