A new measure of skill mismatch: theory and evidence from PIAAC

Abstract This paper proposes a new measure of skill mismatch to be applied to the recent OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). The measure is derived from a formal theory and combines information about skill proficiency, self-reported mismatch and skill use. The theoretical foundations underling this...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Michele Pellizzari, Anne Fichen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2017-01-01
Series:IZA Journal of Labor Economics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40172-016-0051-y
Description
Summary:Abstract This paper proposes a new measure of skill mismatch to be applied to the recent OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). The measure is derived from a formal theory and combines information about skill proficiency, self-reported mismatch and skill use. The theoretical foundations underling this measure allow identifying minimum and maximum skill requirements for each occupation and to classify workers into three groups: the well-matched, the under-skilled and the over-skilled. The availability of skill use data further permits the computation of the degree of under- and over-usage of skills in the economy. The empirical analysis is carried out using the first round of the PIAAC data, allowing comparisons across skill domains, labour market statuses and countries.
ISSN:2193-8997