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Heterogeneity of Skill Needs and Job Complexity: Evidence from the OECD PIAAC Survey

Author

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  • Pouliakas, Konstantinos

    (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop))

  • Russo, Giovanni

    (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop))

Abstract

We use information from the new OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) to investigate the link between job tasks and cognitive skill demand in 22 advanced economies. Skill demand is operationalized by the assessed literacy and numeracy skills of workers with well-matched skills to their job duties. Jobs are categorised according to the nature of tasks, including the intensity of abstract reasoning, employee latitude, interactivity or manual work. The analysis confirms the significant relation between task complexity and higher skill needs. The significant relation holds independently of the endogenous supply of formal human capital, occupational or industrial structure and other job or individual characteristics. The results confirm the (indirect) mapping between tasks and skills as predicted by the task approach to labour economics. Given the marked heterogeneity in workplace practices adopted by employers, it is clear that enterprise level workplace development policies are warranted as enablers of skills matching and higher labour productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Pouliakas, Konstantinos & Russo, Giovanni, 2015. "Heterogeneity of Skill Needs and Job Complexity: Evidence from the OECD PIAAC Survey," IZA Discussion Papers 9392, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9392
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    Cited by:

    1. Rita K. Almeida & Ana M. Fernandes & Mariana Viollaz, 2017. "Does the Adoption of Complex Software Impact Employment Composition and the Skill Content of Occupations? Evidence from Chilean Firms," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0214, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
    2. Mane, Ferran & Miravet, Daniel, 2016. "Using the job requirements approach and matched employer-employee data to investigate the content of individuals' human capital," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 49(2), pages 133-155.
    3. Russo, Giovanni, 2016. "Job Design and Skill Developments in the Workplace," IZA Discussion Papers 10207, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Pouliakas, Konstantinos, 2020. "Working at Home in Greece: Unexplored Potential at Times of Social Distancing?," IZA Discussion Papers 13408, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Martina Bisello & Marta Fana & Enrique Fernández-Macías & Sergio Torrejón Pérez, 2021. "A comprehensive European database of tasks indices for socio-economic research," JRC Working Papers on Labour, Education and Technology 2021-04, Joint Research Centre.
    6. Seamus McGuinness & Konstantinos Pouliakas & Paul Redmond, 2018. "Skills Mismatch: Concepts, Measurement And Policy Approaches," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 985-1015, September.
    7. Giovanni Russo, 2017. "Skill utilization at work: Opportunity and motivation," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 409-409, December.
    8. Marta Fana & CIRILLO Valeria & GUARASCIO Dario & TUBIANA Matteo, 2020. "A Comparative national tasks database," JRC Working Papers on Labour, Education and Technology 2020-13, Joint Research Centre.
    9. Jelena Stankoviæ & Marija Džuniæ & Srðan Marinkoviæ, 2021. "Urban employment in post-transition economies: skill mismatch in the local labor market," Zbornik radova Ekonomskog fakulteta u Rijeci/Proceedings of Rijeka Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, vol. 39(2), pages 279-297.
    10. Russo, Giovanni & Van Houten, Gijs, 2021. "Complex Job Design and Layers of Hierarchy," IZA Discussion Papers 14455, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Ashley Pullman & Britta Gauly & Clemens M. Lechner, 2021. "Short-term earnings mobility in the Canadian and German context: the role of cognitive skills," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 55(1), pages 1-19, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    skills; tasks; skill demand; job complexity; PIAAC; mismatch;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management

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