The Returns to Computer Use Revisited: Have Pencils Changed the Wage Structure Too?

QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, Vol. 112, No. 1, February 1997

Posted: 30 Jul 1997

See all articles by John E. DiNardo

John E. DiNardo

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Jörn-Steffen Pischke

London School of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Abstract

Are the large measured wage differentials for on-the-job computer use a true return to computer skills, or do they just reflect that higher wage workers use computers on their jobs? We examine this issue with three large cross-sectional surveys from Germany. First, we confirm that the estimated wage differential associated with computer use in Germany is very similar to the U.S. differential. Second, we also measure large differentials for on-the-job use of calculators, telephones, pens or pencils, or for those who work while sitting down. We argue that these findings cast some doubt on the literal interpretation of the computer use wage differential as reflecting true returns to computer use or skill.

JEL Classification: J31

Suggested Citation

DiNardo, John and Pischke, Jörn-Steffen (Steve), The Returns to Computer Use Revisited: Have Pencils Changed the Wage Structure Too?. QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, Vol. 112, No. 1, February 1997, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=8661

John DiNardo (Contact Author)

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy ( email )

5238 Weill Hall
735 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1220
734-647-7843 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jdinardo/

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Jörn-Steffen (Steve) Pischke

London School of Economics ( email )

Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
+44 207 955 6509 (Phone)
+44 207 955 7595 (Fax)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Abstract Views
1,205
PlumX Metrics