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Biases in the measurement of labour market dynamics

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  • Bachmann, Ronald
  • Schaffner, Sandra

Abstract

This paper analyses worker transitions on the German labour market derived from different data sources. These include the two German micro data sets which provide high-frequency observations on workers' employment and unemployment histories: the German Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP) and the IAB Employment Subsample (IABS). This exercise thus yields a comprehensive overview of German labour market dynamics. Furthermore, it highlights the differences between the results obtained from a retrospective survey, the SOEP, and a process-induced administrative data set, the IABS. In particular, our analysis shows which groups of the labour market are particularly affected by measurement error. We also show which role measurement issues play when establishing the stylised facts about the cyclicality of labour market dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Bachmann, Ronald & Schaffner, Sandra, 2009. "Biases in the measurement of labour market dynamics," Technical Reports 2009,12, Technische Universität Dortmund, Sonderforschungsbereich 475: Komplexitätsreduktion in multivariaten Datenstrukturen.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:sfb475:200912
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bergemann, Annette & Pohlan, Laura & Uhlendorff, Arne, 2017. "The impact of participation in job creation schemes in turbulent times," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 182-201.
    2. Pohlan, Laura & Bergemann, Annette & Uhlendorff, Arne, 2016. "Job Creation Schemes in Turbulent Times," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145495, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    3. Bachmann, Ronald & Boockmann, Bernhard & Cim, Merve & Felder, Rahel & Frings, Hanna & Janisch, Laura M. & Schaffner, Sandra & Späth, Jochen & Tamm, Marcus, 2018. "Vergleich von Datenquellen für eine Analyse von Übergängen am Arbeitsmarkt: Studie im Auftrag der Mindestlohnkommission," RWI Projektberichte, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, number 180217.
    4. Matthias S. Hertweck & Oliver Sigrist, 2012. "The Aggregate Effects of the Hartz Reforms in Germany," Working Paper Series of the Department of Economics, University of Konstanz 2012-38, Department of Economics, University of Konstanz.
    5. Berger, Melissa & Schaffner, Sandra, 2016. "A note on how to realize the full potential of the EU-SILC data," Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, IOS Press, issue 4, pages 395-416.
    6. Bachmann, Ronald & Beimann, Boris & Bredtmann, Julia & David, Peggy & Ehlert, Christoph & Kassenböhmer, Sonja & Schaffner, Sandra & Siemers, Lars, 2011. "Studies on flexicurity Lot 1: Study on various aspects of labour market performance using micro data from the European Union statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC). Contract No. VC/2010/," RWI Projektberichte, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, number 72620.
    7. Bachmann, Ronald & Felder, Rahel & Schaffner, Sandra & Tamm, Marcus, 2018. "Some (Maybe) Unpleasant Arithmetic in Minimum Wage Evaluations: The Role of Power, Significance and Sample Size," IZA Discussion Papers 11867, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Nordmeier, Daniela, 2012. "Worker flows in Germany: Inspecting the time aggregation bias," IAB-Discussion Paper 201212, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    9. Nordmeier, Daniela, 2014. "Worker flows in Germany: Inspecting the time aggregation bias," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 70-83.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gross worker flows; SOEP; IABS;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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