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Objective over-education and worker well-being: A shadow price approach

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  • Verhaest, Dieter
  • Omey, Eddy

Abstract

This paper examines, for a sample of Flemish school leavers, the relation between objective over-education and job satisfaction by applying a shadow price approach. We differentiate between direct effects of over-education and indirect effects via other job characteristics that are associated with over-education. Additional fixed-effects estimates are executed to account for individual heterogeneity. The utility consequences of over-education are found to be large and cannot be compensated by a reasonable wage increase at the start of the first employment. These outcomes suggest that, at labour-market entry, over-education is largely involuntary, and is likely to induce negative productivity costs. The negative consequences of over-education are also found to diminish with years of work experience.

Suggested Citation

  • Verhaest, Dieter & Omey, Eddy, 2009. "Objective over-education and worker well-being: A shadow price approach," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 469-481, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:30:y:2009:i:3:p:469-481
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Over-education Mismatch Under-employment Job satisfaction Well-being Shadow price;

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy

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