@article{WeissGarloff, author = {Weiss, Matthias and Garloff, Alfred}, title = {Skill-biased technological change and endogenous benefits: The dynamics of unemployment and wage inequality}, series = {Applied Economics}, volume = {43}, journal = {Applied Economics}, number = {7}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, issn = {1466-4283}, doi = {10.1080/00036840802599933}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-242195}, pages = {811 -- 821}, abstract = {In this paper, we study the effect of skill-biased technological change on unemployment and wage inequality in the presence of a link between social benefits and average income. In this case, an increase in the productivity of skilled workers and hence their wage leads to an increase in average income and hence in benefits. The increased fallback income, in turn, makes unskilled workers ask for higher wages. As higher wages are not justified by respective productivity increases, unemployment rises. More generally, we show that skill-biased technological change leads to increasing unemployment of the unskilled and to a moderately increasing wage inequality when benefits are endogenous. The model provides a theoretical explanation for diverging dynamics in wage inequality and unemployment under different social benefits regimes: Analyzing the social legislation in 14 countries, we find that benefits are linked to the evolution of average income in Continental Europe but not in the U.S. and the UK. Given this institutional difference, our model predicts that skill-biased technological change leads to rising unemployment in Continental Europe and rising wage inequality in the U.S. and the UK....}, language = {en} } @article{WeissGarloff, author = {Weiss, Matthias and Garloff, Alfred}, title = {Skill Biased Technological Change and Endogenous Benefits}, series = {Applied Economics}, volume = {43}, journal = {Applied Economics}, number = {7}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, doi = {10.1080/00036840802599933}, pages = {811 -- 821}, abstract = {In this article, we study the effect of skill-biased technological change on unemployment and wage inequality in the presence of a link between social benefits and average income. In this case, an increase in the productivity of skilled workers, and hence their wage, leads to an increase in average income and hence in benefits. The increased fallback income, in turn, makes unskilled workers ask for higher wages. As higher wages are not justified by corresponding productivity increases, unemployment rises. Generally, we show that skill-biased technological change leads to increasing unemployment of the unskilled and to a moderately increasing wage inequality when benefits are endogenous. The model provides a theoretical explanation for diverging dynamics in wage inequality and unemployment under different social benefits regimes. Analysing the social legislation in 14 countries, we find that benefits are linked to the evolution of average income in Continental Europe but not in the US and the UK. Given this institutional difference, our model predicts that skill-biased technological change leads to rising unemployment in Continental Europe and rising wage inequality in the US and the UK.}, language = {en} } @article{Weiss, author = {Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Absenteeism in Age-Diverse Work Teams}, series = {Labour Markets and Demographic Change}, journal = {Labour Markets and Demographic Change}, editor = {Kuhn, Michael and Ochsen, Carsten}, publisher = {VS Verlag}, address = {Wiesbaden}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-531-91478-7_3}, pages = {40 -- 57}, abstract = {Age-diverse work teams are being advocated as an important management tool to enhance performance and productively employ older workers. However, this advice is not founded on empirical evidence. There are very few studies that look at the relation between performance and age diversity of work teams. This lack of evidence is mainly due to a lack of available data. Information on performance and worker composition of a productive unit is available almost exclusively on the plant level in matched employer-employee data sets. But on the plant level/age heterogeneity of the workforce does not tell much about age diversity on the level where co-operation/teamwork takes place (work teams, departments, etc.). If all of the older workers work in the administration whereas all the young employees work in the production, the firm's workforce may be highly age-diverse, but work teams and departments are age-homogeneous. This problem notwithstanding, Grund and Westerg{\aa}rd-Nielsen (2005) look at the relation between productivity and the standard deviation of workers' age in a sample of 7,000 Danish firms. They find a hump-shaped relation.}, language = {en} } @article{LuehrmannWeiss, author = {L{\"u}hrmann, Melanie and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {The Effect of Working Time and Labor Force Participation on Unemployment}, series = {Economic Modelling}, volume = {27}, journal = {Economic Modelling}, number = {1}, doi = {10.1016/j.econmod.2009.07.024}, pages = {67 -- 82}, abstract = {This paper introduces a new argument into the theoretical literature on labor market effects of changes in working hours and labor force participation. We advance a general equilibrium model in which increased labor supply reduces unskilled unemployment via consumer demand: longer work hours and higher labor force participation imply higher incomes and less (leisure) time. In consequence, home production is reduced in favor of outsourcing domestic tasks to the market, shifting consumer demand toward unskill-intensive goods. Relative demand for unskilled labor rises and unemployment falls. Finally, we provide empirical support for the basic mechanisms of our model for Germany.}, language = {en} } @article{Weiss, author = {Weiss, Matthias}, title = {On the Evolution of Wage Inequality in Acemoglu's Model of Directed Technical Change}, series = {Applied Economics Letters}, volume = {16}, journal = {Applied Economics Letters}, number = {6}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, doi = {10.1080/13504850701206452}, pages = {591 -- 595}, abstract = {In Acemoglu's model of directed technical change, the skill-premium increases in consequence of an increase in the relative supply of skilled labour. In this article, I argue that other measures of wage inequality such as the Gini-coefficient do not necessarily rise as well. The Gini-coefficient depends positively on the skill-premium, but the effect of an increase in the relative supply of skilled labour is ambiguous. A simulation of Acemoglu's model shows that the growth in the relative supply of skilled labour has led to increased wage inequality in the past, but will lead to decreasing wage inequality in the future.}, language = {en} } @article{Weiss, author = {Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Skill-Biased Technological Change}, series = {Economics Letters}, volume = {100}, journal = {Economics Letters}, number = {3}, doi = {10.1016/j.econlet.2008.03.022}, pages = {439 -- 441}, abstract = {This paper presents a model in which perpetual skill-biased technological change does not lead to ever-increasing wage inequality. The model is consistent with the increase in wage inequality in the 1980s and the subsequent stabilization in the 1990s.}, language = {en} } @incollection{IlmakunnasSkirbekkvanOursetal., author = {Ilmakunnas, Pekka and Skirbekk, Vegard and van Ours, Jan and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Ageing and Productivty}, series = {Ageing, Health, and Productivity: The Economics of Increased Life Expectancy}, booktitle = {Ageing, Health, and Productivity: The Economics of Increased Life Expectancy}, editor = {Garibaldi, Pietro}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, address = {Oxford}, pages = {135 -- 219}, subject = {Alter}, language = {en} } @article{Weiss, author = {Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Erfahrung kompensiert nachlassende F{\"a}higkeiten}, series = {Personalf{\"u}hrung}, journal = {Personalf{\"u}hrung}, number = {1}, pages = {56 -- 58}, language = {de} } @article{BoerschSupanWeiss, author = {Boersch-Supan, Axel and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Productivity and age: Evidence from work teams at the assembly line}, series = {Journal of the economics of ageing}, journal = {Journal of the economics of ageing}, number = {7}, publisher = {Elsevier}, doi = {10.1016/j.jeoa.2015.12.001}, pages = {30 -- 42}, abstract = {The authors study the relation between workers' age and their productivity in work teams, based on a new and unique data set that combines data on errors occurring in the production process of a large car manufacturer with detailed information on the personal characteristics of workers related to the errors. The authors correct for non-random sample selection and the potential endogeneity of the age-composition in work teams. The results suggest that productivity in this plant which is typical for large-scale manufacturing does not decline at least up to age 60. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.}, language = {en} } @incollection{IlmakunnasvanOursSkirbekketal., author = {Ilmakunnas, Pekka and van Ours, Jan and Skirbekk, Vegard and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Age and Productivity: An Analysis at the Plant and the Team Level}, series = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, booktitle = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, editor = {Garibaldi, Pietro}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, isbn = {9780199587131}, doi = {10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199587131.003.0014}, pages = {189 -- 214}, abstract = {This chapter presents and compares results from two studies that analyse the same research questions with different data sets. The first study analyses data on productivity at the level of work teams in one single plant. The tasks in this plant are rather homogeneous and age-productivity profiles can be estimated fairly precisely. But the results cannot be generalized to other parts of the economy. The other study analyses the Finnish Linked Employer Employee Data (FLEED), which provide information on productivity at the plant level for the Finnish economy. At this aggregate level, age-productivity profiles are obviously cruder. On the other hand, the results apply to a large part of the entire Finnish economy and can easily be generalized to other developed economies. The linked data also make it possible to compare productivity and wage profiles by age.}, language = {en} } @incollection{IlmakunnasvanOursSkirbekketal., author = {Ilmakunnas, Pekka and van Ours, Jan and Skirbekk, Vegard and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Age and Absenteeism}, series = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, booktitle = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, editor = {Garibaldi, Pietro}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, isbn = {9780199587131}, doi = {10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199587131.003.0012}, pages = {163 -- 178}, abstract = {This chapter explores absenteeism using two different kinds of data. One is a unique data set of workers in a German truck assembly plant where the chapter identifies workers who work together in a team on a daily basis. Thus, the chapter is able to relate the probability of absence of a worker to characteristics of the work team. Characteristics of the work team in this study include team size, and measures of diversity with respect to age, nationality, education, and age. The second data set is a Finnish survey based on a representative sample of persons in paid employment. Besides working conditions, personal characteristics, and work experience, it includes information on the number and duration absences.}, language = {en} } @incollection{IlmakunnasvanOursSkirbekketal., author = {Ilmakunnas, Pekka and van Ours, Jan and Skirbekk, Vegard and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Conclusions and Policy Implications}, series = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, booktitle = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, editor = {Garibaldi, Pietro}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, isbn = {9780199587131}, doi = {10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199587131.003.0015}, pages = {215 -- 219}, abstract = {This concluding chapter contributes to the discussion in two ways. First, it presents a 'grand view' in which it discusses the various components of productivity in detail, and then looks at long-term historical developments where changing economic structures are taken into account. Second, it presents results from an empirical analysis in which it considers both the 'extensive margin' of productivity (absenteeism at an individual level) and the 'intensive margin' of productivity (productivity conditional on being present at work at a group level or firm level).}, language = {en} } @incollection{IlmakunnasvanOursSkirbekketal., author = {Ilmakunnas, Pekka and van Ours, Jan and Skirbekk, Vegard and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Age and Working Capacity}, series = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, booktitle = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, editor = {Garibaldi, Pietro}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, isbn = {9780199587131}, doi = {10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199587131.003.0013}, pages = {179 -- 188}, abstract = {This chapter examines how the subjective assessment of work capacity is related to age using the Finnish Quality of Working Life Survey (QWLS) from the year 2003. The results provide clear evidence that employees' own assessment of their working capacity falls with age while there is no corresponding decline in wages by age. However, the fall in working capacity is not dramatic, as the majority of the older age groups still consider their working capacity to be relatively high in a scale from 0 to 10. Age affects working capacity, as least to the extent that the employees themselves think so.}, language = {en} } @incollection{IlmakunnasvanOursSkirbekketal., author = {Ilmakunnas, Pekka and van Ours, Jan and Skirbekk, Vegard and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Setting the Stage}, series = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, booktitle = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, editor = {Garibaldi, Pietro}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, isbn = {9780199587131}, doi = {10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199587131.003.0010}, pages = {137 -- 149}, abstract = {This study deals with the relationship between age and productivity to investigate whether indeed there is reason to worry about the negative effects of population ageing on labour market performance.}, language = {en} } @incollection{IlmakunnasvanOursSkirbekketal., author = {Ilmakunnas, Pekka and van Ours, Jan and Skirbekk, Vegard and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {The Grand View on Age and Productivity}, series = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, booktitle = {Ageing, health, and productivity : The economics of increased life expectancy}, editor = {Garibaldi, Pietro}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, isbn = {9780199587131}, doi = {10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199587131.003.0011}, pages = {150 -- 162}, abstract = {This chapter investigates the shape and peak of the relation between age and productivity and under which circumstances specific age-productivity profiles exist. It starts by reviewing the main approaches used to estimate productivity by age: supervisors' evaluations, measuring the quantity and quality produced, analyses of large-scale employer-employee datasets and studies of age-earnings structures. Thereafter, it discusses potential causes of job performance variation by age, and how changes in abilities and health by age and variations in the workplace requirements are likely to alter age-variation in productivity over time.}, language = {en} } @book{BoerschSupanHunklerWeiss, author = {B{\"o}rsch-Supan, Axel and Hunkler, Christian and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Big Data at Work}, address = {Regensburg}, organization = {Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg / Fakult{\"a}t Betriebswirtschaft}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-21637}, publisher = {Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg}, pages = {59}, abstract = {Does productivity decline with age? Does population aging harm economic growth? We exploit process-generated data from a large and typical service-sector company. We find no decline in average productivity in the age range of 20-60. This result is precisely measured. Our innovative identification strategy corrects for sample selection, endogeneity of age composition and age-cohort confounding. Our big data are essential to extract the signal from the noise that has marred many previous studies. While average productivity stays flat, we find variation according to task complexity. Productivity increases with age in teams with more demanding tasks and decreases in routine tasks.}, subject = {Arbeitsproduktivit{\"a}t}, language = {en} } @article{BoerschSupanDuezguenWeiss, author = {B{\"o}rsch-Supan, Axel and D{\"u}zg{\"u}n, Ismail and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Altern und Produktivit{\"a}t}, series = {Personalf{\"u}hrung}, journal = {Personalf{\"u}hrung}, number = {07}, pages = {74 -- 81}, abstract = {Der Zusammenhang zwischen Alter und Leistungsf{\"a}higkeit von Besch{\"a}ftigten wird in den verschiedensten Disziplinen untersucht - mit zum Teil recht unterschiedlichen Ergebnissen. Dieser Beitrag gibt einen {\"U}berblick {\"u}ber die Literatur und diskutiert die Notwendigkeit einer neuen Sicht der Produktivit{\"a}tsmessung. Bisherige Studien besch{\"a}ftigen sich mit der Messung der individuellen Produktivit{\"a}t. In einer modernen arbeitsteiligen Gesellschaft realisiert sich die Arbeitsproduktivit{\"a}t allerdings weniger in der Einzelperson als vielmehr im Zusammenwirken von j{\"u}ngeren (innovativen, flexiblen?) und {\"a}lteren (erfahrenen?) Mitarbeitern.}, language = {de} } @incollection{BoerschSupanDuezguenWeiss, author = {B{\"o}rsch-Supan, Axel and D{\"u}zg{\"u}n, Ismail and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Altern und Produktivit{\"a}t}, series = {Produktivit{\"a}t in alternden Gesellschaften}, booktitle = {Produktivit{\"a}t in alternden Gesellschaften}, editor = {B{\"o}rsch-Supan, Axel and Erlinghagen, Marcel and Hank, Karsten and J{\"u}rges, Hendrik and Wagner, Gert G.}, publisher = {Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH}, address = {Stuttgart}, pages = {53 -- 62}, subject = {Alternde Bev{\"o}lkerung}, language = {de} } @incollection{BoerschSupanDuezguenWeiss, author = {B{\"o}rsch-Supan, Axel and D{\"u}zg{\"u}n, Ismail and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Sinkende Produktivit{\"a}t alternder Belegschaften?}, series = {L{\"a}nger leben, arbeiten und sich engagieren. Chancen werteschaffender Besch{\"a}ftigung bis ins Alter}, booktitle = {L{\"a}nger leben, arbeiten und sich engagieren. Chancen werteschaffender Besch{\"a}ftigung bis ins Alter}, editor = {Prager, Jens U. and Schleiter (Hrsg.), Andr{\´e}}, publisher = {Bertelsmann Stiftung}, address = {G{\"u}tersloh}, isbn = {3892049130}, pages = {85 -- 102}, language = {de} } @article{BoerschSupanWeiss, author = {B{\"o}rsch-Supan, Axel and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Erfahrungswissen in der Arbeitswelt}, series = {Potenziale im Altern. Chancen und Aufgaben f{\"u}r Individuum und Gesellschaft}, journal = {Potenziale im Altern. Chancen und Aufgaben f{\"u}r Individuum und Gesellschaft}, editor = {Kruse, Andreas}, publisher = {AKA}, address = {Heidelberg}, pages = {221 -- 234}, language = {de} } @article{BoerschSupanHunklerWeiss, author = {B{\"o}rsch-Supan, Axel and Hunkler, Christian and Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Big data at work: Age and labor productivity in the service sector}, series = {The Journal of the Economics of Ageing}, volume = {19}, journal = {The Journal of the Economics of Ageing}, publisher = {Elsevier}, doi = {10.1016/j.jeoa.2021.100319}, abstract = {Does productivity decline with age? Does population aging harm economic growth? We exploit process-generated data from a large and typical service-sector company. We find no decline in average productivity in the age range of 20-60. This result is precisely measured. Our innovative identification strategy corrects for sample selection, endogeneity of age composition and age-cohort confounding. Our big data are essential to extract the signal from the noise that has marred many previous studies. While average productivity stays flat, we find variation according to task complexity. Productivity increases with age in teams with more demanding tasks and decreases in routine tasks.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Weiss, author = {Weiss, Matthias}, title = {Labor Market Effects of Technological Change and Working Time Reduction}, language = {en} }