We document the importance of negatively reciprocal inclinations in labor relationshipsby showing that a retrenchment of pension rights, which is perceived as unfair,causes a larger reduction in job motivation the stronger workers’ negatively reciprocalinclinations are. We exploit unique...

In this paper we analyze how retirement behavior is affected by a worker’s firm-specific or general training history. Using US data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Older Men and controlling for the effects of technological change and workers’ retirement preferences, we find that...

This paper uses a natural experiment approach to identify the effects of an exogenouschange in future pension benefits on workers’ training participation. We use uniquematched survey and administrative data for male employees in the Dutch public sectorwho were born in 1949 or 1950. Only the...

The focus of this paper is the size of the wage penalty due to maternal leave incurred by working mothers in Germany. Existing estimates suggest two-digit penalties of up to 30 percent, with very little rebound over time. We apply recent panel data methods designed to address problems of sample...

This study investigates the effects of social comparisons accompanying a substantialreform of the Dutch pension system on the job satisfaction of workers who are close toretirement. The reform implies that public sector workers born on January 1, 1950, orlater face a substantial reduction in...

This paper greatly enriches the discussion on the determinants of lifelong learning of scientists and engineers (S&Es). In our analysis, which is based on a survey among S&Es in the Netherlands, we take account of both formal training and different modes of informal learning. We find that S&Es...

Several studies document the fact that low-educated workers participate less often infurther training than high-educated workers. The economic literature suggests thatthere is no significant difference in employer willingness to train low-educated workers,which leaves the question of why the low...

We analyze whether technological change induces skill obsolescence and early labor market exit, and to what extent lifelong learning reduces these risks. Using panel data on older workers, we find that workers report skill obsolescence more often in jobs in which learning is a structural...

This paper uses longitudinal test data to analyze the relation between retirement andcognitive development. Controlling for individual fixed effects, we find that retirees facegreater declines in information processing speed than those who remain employed.However, remarkably, their cognitive...

Th is paper focuses on the question whether it is benefi cial for fi rms to invest inthe general skills of their workforce or that these training investments merelyencourage personnel turnover. We examine two contrary theoretical perspectives onhow investments in employee development are related...