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Nothing Really Matters: Evaluating Demand-Side Moderators of Age Discrimination in Hiring

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  • Dalle, Axana

    (Ghent University)

  • Lippens, Louis

    (Ghent University)

  • Baert, Stijn

    (Ghent University)

Abstract

As age discrimination hampers the OECD's ambition to extend the working population, an efficient anti-discrimination policy targeted at the right employers is critical. Therefore, the context in which age discrimination is most prevalent must be identified. In this study, we thoroughly review the current theoretical arguments and empirical findings regarding moderators of age discrimination in different demand-side domains (i.e. decision-maker, vacancy, occupation, organisation, and sector). Our review demonstrates that the current literature is highly fragmented and often lacks field-experimental evidence, raising concerns about its internal and external validity. To address this gap, we conducted a correspondence experiment and systematically linked the resulting data to external data sources. In so doing, we were able to study the priorly determined demand-side moderators within a single multi-level analysis and simultaneously control multiple correlations between potential moderators and discrimination estimates. Having done so, we found no empirical support for any of these moderators.

Suggested Citation

  • Dalle, Axana & Lippens, Louis & Baert, Stijn, 2023. "Nothing Really Matters: Evaluating Demand-Side Moderators of Age Discrimination in Hiring," IZA Discussion Papers 16672, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16672
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. P. A. Riach & J. Rich, 2002. "Field Experiments of Discrimination in the Market Place," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(483), pages 480-518, November.
    2. Michael McGann & Rachel Ong & Dina Bowman & Alan Duncan & Helen Kimberley & Simon Biggs, 2016. "Gendered Ageism in Australia: Changing Perceptions of Age Discrimination among Older Men and Women," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 35(4), pages 375-388, December.
    3. Lippens, Louis & Vermeiren, Siel & Baert, Stijn, 2023. "The state of hiring discrimination: A meta-analysis of (almost) all recent correspondence experiments," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    4. Daniel, Kirsten & Heywood, John S., 2007. "The determinants of hiring older workers: UK evidence," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 35-51, January.
    5. Baert, Stijn & Norga, Jennifer & Thuy, Yannick & Van Hecke, Marieke, 2016. "Getting grey hairs in the labour market. An alternative experiment on age discrimination," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 86-101.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ageism; hiring discrimination; heterogeneity; literature review; field experiment; administrative data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination

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