Four Dimensions of Quality in Australian Jobs

40 Pages Posted: 22 Oct 2019

See all articles by David C. Ribar

David C. Ribar

University of Melbourne

Mark Wooden

University of Melbourne - Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Date Written: August 21, 2019

Abstract

We develop and analyze comprehensive, multi-item scales of the quality of Australian jobs, using the rich measures of job characteristics from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey. Through exploratory methods and multidimensional Item Response Theory modeling, we uncover four gender-specific scales that describe the autonomy, demands/engagement, compensation adequacy, and security of jobs. From 2001 to 2016, women’s job demands/engagement and compensation adequacy grew noticeably, and men’s job demands/engagement grew somewhat. Since the mid-2000s, women’s and men’s job security have fallen. Job quality rises with job tenure, work experience, and health and falls following involuntary job changes.

Keywords: job quality, scales, Australia, HILDA Survey

JEL Classification: J2, J3, J81

Suggested Citation

Ribar, David C. and Wooden, Mark, Four Dimensions of Quality in Australian Jobs (August 21, 2019). Melbourne Institute Working Paper No. 7/19, August 2019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3472759 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3472759

David C. Ribar (Contact Author)

University of Melbourne ( email )

+61 3 8344 2794 (Phone)

Mark Wooden

University of Melbourne - Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research ( email )

Level 5, FBE Building, 111 Barry Street
Parkville, Victoria 3010
Australia

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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