Explaining Differences in Labour Market Transitions between Panel and Life-Course Data in West-Germany

Qual Quant, Vol. 45, pp. 241-261, 2011

21 Pages Posted: 19 Jan 2012

See all articles by Anna Manzoni

Anna Manzoni

North Carolina State University

Ruud Luijkx

Tilburg University

Ruud Muffels

Tilburg University

Date Written: December 25, 2009

Abstract

Panel and life-course data are ideally suited to unraveling labor market dynamics, but their designs differ, with potential consequences for the estimated relationships. To gauge the extent to which these two data designs produce dissimilar transition rates and the causation thereof, we use the German Life History Study and the German Socio-Economic Panel. Life-course data in particular suffer from recall effects due to memory bias causing understated transition probabilities. Panel data suffer from seam effects due to spurious transitions between statuses recalled in activity calendars that generate heaps at particular time points and cause overstated transition probabilities. We combine the two datasets and estimate multilevel (multistate) discrete-time models for event history data to model transitions between labor market states taking these factors into account. Though we find much lower transition rates in the life-course study, confirming the results of Solga (Qual Quant 35:291-309, 2001) in this Journal for East-Germany, part of the difference can be explained by short spells recall bias. The estimated models on exit, re-entry and job mobility on the combined datasets show indeed a negative retrospective design effect. Another specification that includes the length of the recall period shows no significant decrease in the transition probabilities with increasing length, suggesting that the negative design effect is due to other design differences.

Suggested Citation

Manzoni, Anna and Luijkx, Ruud and Muffels, Ruud, Explaining Differences in Labour Market Transitions between Panel and Life-Course Data in West-Germany (December 25, 2009). Qual Quant, Vol. 45, pp. 241-261, 2011, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1988223

Anna Manzoni (Contact Author)

North Carolina State University ( email )

Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC 27695
United States

Ruud Luijkx

Tilburg University ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, DC Noord-Brabant 5000 LE
Netherlands

Ruud Muffels

Tilburg University ( email )

Postbus 90153
Tilburg, DC Noord-Brabant 5000 LE
Netherlands
0031134662795 (Phone)
0031134663003 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.uvt.nl/

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