Measuring and interpreting trends in the division of labour in the Netherlands

Akçomak, Semih, Borghans, Lex and ter Weel, Bas (2010). Measuring and interpreting trends in the division of labour in the Netherlands. UNU-MERIT.

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  • Sub-type Working paper
    Author Akçomak, Semih
    Borghans, Lex
    ter Weel, Bas
    Title Measuring and interpreting trends in the division of labour in the Netherlands
    Publication Date 2010
    Place of Publication Maastricht, NL
    Publisher UNU-MERIT
    Pages 66
    Abstract This paper introduces indicators about the division of labour to measure and interpret recent trends in employment in the Netherlands. We show that changes in the division of labour occur at three different levels: the level of the individual worker, the level of the industry and the spatial level. At each level the current organisation of work is determined by an equilibrium of forces that glue tasks together and unbundled tasks. Communication costs are the main force for clustering or gluing together tasks; comparative advantage stimulates unbundling and specialisation. Our results show that on average the Netherlands has witnessed unbundling in the period 1996-2005. So, on average the advantages of specialisation have increased. These developments can explain to a considerable extent changes in the structure of employment. Especially at the spatial level our approach explains a substantial part of the increase in offshoring during this period.
    UNU Topics of Focus Trade
    Keyword Offshoring
    Tasks
    Technology
    Trade
    Labour market
    JEL F16
    J23
    J24
    Copyright Holder UNU-MERIT
    Copyright Year 2010
    Copyright type All rights reserved
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    Created: Wed, 11 Dec 2013, 16:49:04 JST