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Which workers gain upon adopting a computer?

Author

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  • Cindy Zoghi
  • Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia
Abstract
. Using the Canadian Workplace and Employee Survey and controlling for individual and establishment fixed‐effects, we find that within a year of adopting a computer, the average worker earns a 3.6% higher wage than a worker who did not use a computer. Returns are even larger for managers and professionals, highly educated workers, and those with significant prior computer experience. Employees who adopt computers for use with applications that require high cognitive skills earn the highest returns. En utilisant l'enquête canadienne sur le milieu de travail et les employés, et en normalisant pour prendre en compte les différences entre types d'individus et d'établissements, les auteurs établissent qu'en dedans d'un an après l'adoption d'un ordinateur, le travailleur moyen gagne 3.6% de plus que le travailleur qui n'a jamais utilisé un ordinateur. Les rendements sont encore plus grands pour les gestionnaires et professionnels, les travailleurs hautement qualifiés, et ceux qui ont déjà une bonne expérience antérieure des ordinateurs. Les employés qui adoptent l'ordinateur pour effectuer des applications qui réclament de grandes capacités cognitives sont ceux pour qui les rendements sont élevés.

Suggested Citation

  • Cindy Zoghi & Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia, 2007. "Which workers gain upon adopting a computer?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(2), pages 423-444, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:40:y:2007:i:2:p:423-444
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.00415.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Lembcke, Alexander, 2014. "Home computers and married women's labor supply," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 60269, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Ono, Hiroshi & Zavodny, Madeline, 2007. "Immigrants, English Ability and the Digital Divide," IZA Discussion Papers 3124, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Cattaneo, Cristina & Fiorio, Carlo V. & Peri, Giovanni, 2013. "What Happens to the Careers of European Workers When Immigrants "Take Their Jobs"?," IZA Discussion Papers 7282, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Cindy M. Cunningham & Robert D. Mohr, 2019. "Using tools to distinguish general and occupation-specific skills," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 53(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Mañé Vernet, Ferran & Miravet, Daniel, 2010. "An investigation on the pay-off to generic competences for core employees in Catalan manufacturing firms," Working Papers 2072/179595, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

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