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Do Older Workers Have More Trouble Using a Computer Than Younger Workers?

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Author Info
Borghans,Lex
Weel,Bas,ter (ROA rm)

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Abstract

Technological change is often perceived to harm the position of the incumbent workforce compared to new entrants. Particularly the labor-market position of older workers, who are thought to have lower abilities or incentives to acquire new skills, might be deteriorated by the arrival of new technologies. Computers are a major example of such a new technology. A lack of skills might hamper computerization of the jobs of older workers and decrease the value of their existing skills. Several authors have shown however that the age pattern of computer use does not seem to fit in this view and argued that the relationship between age, computer use and skills is more complex. This paper examines the computer use of older workers from the perspective that the availability of skills is not the only factor relevant for the decision to invest in computers. Using British data, estimates are presented showing that computer use does not depend on age when taking into account wage costs and the tasks to be performed at work. It does turn out that older workers embody less computer skills than younger workers, but the main distinction lies between the 20-29 year old workers and the others. Investigating the value of computer skills reveals that these skills do not seem to yield labor-market returns and the relative lack of computer skills is unlikely to negatively affect the wages of older workers. Hence, the analysis does not find support for the concern about older workers not being able to cope with computers.

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Paper provided by Maastricht : ROA, Researchcentrum voor Onderwijs en Arbeidsmarkt in its series Research Memoranda with number 003.

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Date of creation: 2002
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Handle: RePEc:dgr:umaror:2002003

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Keywords: education training and the labour market

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This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports: References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Borghans,Lex & Weel,Bas,ter, 2003. "Are computer skills the new basic skills? The returns to computer, writing and math skills in Britain," Research Memoranda 005, Maastricht : MERIT, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Luc Behahel, 2006. "Changement technologique et formation tout au long de la vie," Research Unit Working Papers 0602, Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquee, INRA. [Downloadable!]
  3. Spitz, Alexandra, 2005. "The Effects of Changes in the Unemployment Compensation System on the Adoption of IT by Older Workers," ZEW Discussion Papers 05-40, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  4. Borghans, Lex & ter Weel, Bas, 2003. "What Happens When Agent T Gets a Computer? The Labor Market Impact of Cost Efficient Computer Adoption," IZA Discussion Papers 792, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Dag Rønningen, 2007. "Are technological change and organizational change biased against older workers? Firm-level evidence," Discussion Papers 512, Research Department of Statistics Norway. [Downloadable!]
  6. Lex Borghans & Bas ter Weel, 2005. "The Division of Labour, Worker Organisation, and Technological Change," IZA Discussion Papers 1709, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Torbjørn Hægeland, Dag Rønningen and Kjell G. Salvanes, 2007. "Adapt or withdraw? Evidence on technological changes and early retirement using matched worker-firm data," Discussion Papers 509, Research Department of Statistics Norway. [Downloadable!]
  8. Borghans,Lex & Weel,Bas,ter, 2003. "Do We Need Computer Skills to Use a Computer? Evidence from Britain," Research Memoranda 002, Maastricht : ROA, Researchcentrum voor Onderwijs en Arbeidsmarkt. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Uschi Backes-Gellner & Stephan Veen, 2007. "Aging Workforces and Challenges to Human Resource Management in German Firms," Working Papers 0079, University of Zurich, Institute for Strategy and Business Economics (ISU). [Downloadable!]
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  11. Patrick Aubert & Eve Caroli & Muriel Roger, 2005. "Nouvelles technologies et nouvelles formes d'organisation du travail : quelles conséquences pour l'emploi des salariés âgés ?," PSE Working Papers 2005-19, PSE (Ecole normale supérieure). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  12. BEHAGHEL Luc & GREENAN Nathalie, 2007. "Training and age-biased technical change," Research Unit Working Papers 0705, Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquee, INRA. [Downloadable!]
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    Other versions:
  14. Katrin Schleife, 2006. "Regional Versus Individual Aspects of the Digital Divide in Germany," Darmstadt Discussion Papers in Economics 177, Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre (Department of Economics), Technische Universität Darmstadt (Darmstadt University of Technology). [Downloadable!]
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  16. Sanders Jos & Grip Andries de, 2003. "Training, Task Flexibility and Low-Skilled Workers' Employability," Research Memoranda 007, Maastricht : ROA, Researchcentrum voor Onderwijs en Arbeidsmarkt. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  17. Schleife, Katrin, 2004. "Computer Use and the Employment Status of Older Workers : An Analysis Based on Individual Data," ZEW Discussion Papers 04-62, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  18. Katrin Schleife, 2004. "Computer Use and the Employment Status of Older Workers - An Analysis Based on Individual Data," Darmstadt Discussion Papers in Economics 145, Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre (Department of Economics), Technische Universität Darmstadt (Darmstadt University of Technology). [Downloadable!]
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