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Collecting information on job tasks—an instrument to measure tasks required at the workplace in a multi-topic survey
[Die Erfassung von Job-Tasks in persönlichen Befragungen. Ein neues Instrument zur Erhebung von Anforderungen am Arbeitsplatz]

Author

Listed:
  • Britta Matthes

    (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB))

  • Bernhard Christoph

    (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB))

  • Florian Janik

    (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB))

  • Michael Ruland

    (Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB))

Abstract

The analysis of job tasks has become a field of growing scientific activity in recent years. Information on such tasks has been used to analyze various research questions, especially regarding changes in the overall structure of the economy and their implications for persons and firms. Arguably the most prominent of these research questions is the analysis of the consequences of technological change for job tasks, skill demand, and wage inequality. Despite the growing importance of this field of research, the range of actual task measures to be used in empirical analyses is rather limited. Therefore, we considered it worthwhile to develop a survey instrument to measure job tasks by asking the job holders directly. The resulting questionnaire module was administered in the fourth panel wave of the German National Educational Panel Study’s (NEPS) adult stage. In this paper, we provide an overview of our conceptual background as well as the steps taken during the development of the survey instrument. Furthermore, we present an initial exploratory analysis of the data collected to validate the instrument.

Suggested Citation

  • Britta Matthes & Bernhard Christoph & Florian Janik & Michael Ruland, 2014. "Collecting information on job tasks—an instrument to measure tasks required at the workplace in a multi-topic survey [Die Erfassung von Job-Tasks in persönlichen Befragungen. Ein neues Instrument z," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 47(4), pages 273-297, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jlabrs:v:47:y:2014:i:4:d:10.1007_s12651-014-0155-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s12651-014-0155-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Zeyer-Gliozzo, Birgit, 2020. "Returns to formal, non-formal and informal training for workers at risk of automation," Ruhr Economic Papers 857, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    4. Arief A. Yusuf & Reza Anglingkusumo & Andy Sumner & Putri R. Halim & Anggita C.M. Kusuma, 2020. "Routinization And The Changing Task Composition In The Labor Market: Evidence From Indonesia," Working Papers WP/06/2020, Bank Indonesia.
    5. Dengler, Katharina & Matthes, Britta & Paulus, Wiebke, 2014. "Occupational Tasks in the German Labour Market : an alternative measurement on the basis of an expert database," FDZ Methodenreport 201412_en, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
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    7. Beckert, Bernd & Buschak, Daniela & Graf, Birgit & Hägele, Martin & Jäger, Angela & Moll, Cornelius & Schmoch, Ulrich & Wydra, Sven, 2016. "Automatisierung und Robotik-Systeme," Studien zum deutschen Innovationssystem 11-2016, Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation (EFI) - Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation, Berlin.
    8. Maximilian Trommer & Hildegard Schaeper & Gregor Fabian, 2021. "KWReq—a new instrument for measuring knowledge work requirements of higher education graduates," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 55(1), pages 1-24, December.
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    12. Sebastian Lago Raquel & Federico Biagi, 2018. "The Routine Biased Technical Change hypothesis: a critical review," JRC Research Reports JRC113174, Joint Research Centre.
    13. Heß, Pascal & Janssen, Simon & Leber, Ute, 2019. "Digitalisierung und berufliche Weiterbildung: Beschäftigte, deren Tätigkeiten durch Technologien ersetzbar sind, bilden sich seltener weiter (Digitization and on-the-job training: employees who perfor," IAB-Kurzbericht 201916, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Job-tasks; Task-based approach; Questionnaire development; NEPS;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C89 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Other
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • 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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