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Changes in Returns to Task-Specific Skills and Gender Wage Gap

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  • Shintaro Yamaguchi

Abstract

How did skilled-biased technological change affect wage inequality, particularly between men and women? To answer that question this paper constructs a task-based Roy model in which workers possess a bundle of basic skills, and occupations are characterized as a bundle of basic tasks. The model is structurally estimated using the task data from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and the PSID. The main empirical finding is that men have more motor skills than women, but the returns to motor skills have dropped significantly, accounting for more than 40% of the narrowing gender wage gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Shintaro Yamaguchi, 2013. "Changes in Returns to Task-Specific Skills and Gender Wage Gap," Department of Economics Working Papers 2013-01, McMaster University.
    • Handle: RePEc:mcm:deptwp:2013-01
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    Cited by:

    1. Keller, Elisa, 2019. "Labor supply and gender differences in occupational choice," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 221-241.
    2. Yoichi Arai & Hidehiko Ichimura & Daiji Kawaguchi, 2014. "The educational upgrading of Japanese youth, 1982-2007: Are Japanese youth ready for structural reforms?," Working Papers e078, Tokyo Center for Economic Research.
    3. Fedorets, Alexandra, 2014. "Closing the Gender Pay Gap and Individual Task Profiles: Women s Advantages from Technological Progress," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100362, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    4. Ralph Stinebrickner & Todd Stinebrickner & Paul Sullivan, 2019. "Job Tasks, Time Allocation, and Wages," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(2), pages 399-433.
    5. Matthew C. Harris, 2019. "The Impact Of Body Weight On Occupational Mobility And Career Development," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 60(2), pages 631-660, May.
    6. Summerfield, Fraser, 2014. "Labor Market Conditions, Skill Requirements and Education Mismatch," CLSSRN working papers clsrn_admin-2014-19, Vancouver School of Economics, revised 28 Apr 2014.
    7. Dengler, Katharina & Matthes, Britta & Paulus, Wiebke, 2014. "Occupational Tasks in the German Labour Market : an alternative measurement on the basis of an expert database," FDZ Methodenreport 201412_en, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    8. Michael J. Boehm, 2013. "Has Job Polarization Squeezed the Middle Class? Evidence from the Allocation of Talents," CEP Discussion Papers dp1215, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    9. Laura Turner & Aloysius Siow & Gueorgui Kambourov, 2014. "Relationship Skills in the Labor and Marriage Markets," 2014 Meeting Papers 155, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    10. Boehm, Michael J., 2013. "Has job polarization squeezed the middle class? Evidence from the allocation of talents," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 51554, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Roy model; task-based approach; occupational choice; skill-biased technological change; soft skills.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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