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The Assignment of Workers to Tasks with Endogenous Supply of Skills

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  • Dupuy, Arnaud

    (University of Luxembourg)

Abstract

This paper presents a general equilibrium assignment model of workers to tasks with endogenous supply of skills. The model has 2 key features. First, skills are endogenous and multidimensional. Second, two types of assignment occur; workers self-select the type of skills to supply and firms assign workers to tasks/machines. Equilibrium is characterized by two functions mapping skills of each type to tasks and two wage functions, one for each type of skills, so that the wage distributions generally overlap. The model shows that the impact of any given skill-biased technical change on wage inequality is tightly related to the distribution of skills in the population. Productivity effects can be over or under estimated by wage data when the supply of skills is endogenous. The model also shows that Johnson's (1997) distinction between intensive and extensive technical change is impossible when supply is endogenous.

Suggested Citation

  • Dupuy, Arnaud, 2013. "The Assignment of Workers to Tasks with Endogenous Supply of Skills," IZA Discussion Papers 7303, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp7303
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    tasks assignment; endogenous supply of skills; multidimensional skills; human capital; technical change; wage distribution;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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