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Structural Labour Market Change, Cognitive Work, and Fertility in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Honorata Bogusz

    (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences)

  • Anna Matysiak

    (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences)

  • Michaela Kreyenfeld

    (Hertie School)

Abstract
Technological change and globalisation have been transforming the structure of labour demand in favour of workers performing cognitive tasks. Even though past research has found that labour force participation is an important determinant of fertility behaviour, few studies have addressed the fertility effects of the long-term structural changes of labour market. To fill this gap, we measure the cognitive task content of work at the occupation level using data from the Employment Survey of the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BiBB). We link this contextual information with employment and fertility histories of women and men from the German Socio-Economic Panel 1984-2018 (GSOEP). With event history models, we find that fertility transitions of men working in occupations characterised by high cognitive task intensity are accelerated. We also observe elevated birth risks among women in occupations requiring cognitive labour. However, this pattern is more ambiguous, as we find that non-working women also experience elevated birth rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Honorata Bogusz & Anna Matysiak & Michaela Kreyenfeld, 2023. "Structural Labour Market Change, Cognitive Work, and Fertility in Germany," Working Papers 2023-08, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    • Handle: RePEc:war:wpaper:2023-08
    as

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    File URL: https://www.wne.uw.edu.pl/download_file/2651/0
    File Function: First version, 2023
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    structural labour market change; cognitive work; task content of work; fertility; Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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