Does Employer Learning Vary by Occupation?

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Labor Economics
Year: 2012
Volume: 30
Issue: 2
Pages: 415 - 444

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Models of employer learning have two implications: first, the distribution of wages becomes more dispersed as a cohort of workers gains experience; second, the coefficient on an ability correlate that employers initially do not observe grows with experience. If learning by employers varies across occupations, both of these indicators of learning should covary positively across groups defined by a worker's initial occupational assignment. This paper tests these implications using data from the NLSY79 and CPS. I find that there is significant heterogeneity in the employer learning process across occupations and that occupational assignment affects the learning process independently of education.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/663590
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-25