Occupational Skill Mismatch: Differences by Gender and Cohort

Addison, J.T.; Chen, Liwen; Ozturk, Orgul D.

doi:10.1177/0019793919873864

Occupational Skill Mismatch: Differences by Gender and Cohort

Addison, J.T.; Chen, Liwen; Ozturk, Orgul D.

Authors

Professor John Addison john.addison@durham.ac.uk
Professor

Liwen Chen

Orgul D. Ozturk

Abstract

The authors deploy a measure of occupational mismatch based on the discrepancy between the portfolio of skills required by an occupation and the array of abilities possessed by the worker for learning those skills. Using data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and the 1979 and 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79 and NLSY97), they report distinct gender differences in match quality and changes in match quality over the course of careers. They also show that a substantial portion of the gender wage gap stems from match quality differences among the college educated. College-educated females show a significantly greater likelihood of mismatch than do males. Moreover, individuals with children and those in more flexible occupations tend to experience a larger degree of mismatch. Cohort effects are also evident in the data: College-educated males of the younger cohort (NLSY97) are worse off in terms of match quality compared to the older cohort (NLSY79), even as the younger cohort of women is doing better on average.

Citation

Addison, J., Chen, L., & Ozturk, O. D. (2020). Occupational Skill Mismatch: Differences by Gender and Cohort. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 73(3), 730-767. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019793919873864

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Nov 11, 2018
Online Publication Date	Sep 16, 2019
Publication Date	May 31, 2020
Deposit Date	Nov 22, 2018
Publicly Available Date	Nov 23, 2018
Journal	Industrial and Labor Relations Review
Print ISSN	0019-7939
Electronic ISSN	2162-271X
Publisher	SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	73
Issue	3
Pages	730-767
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1177/0019793919873864
Public URL	https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1313623

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Copyright Statement
Addison, J.T., Chen, Liwen & Ozturk, Orgul D. (2020). Occupational Skill Mismatch: Differences by Gender and Cohort. ILR Review 73(3): 730-767. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.