Using a unique German panel that allows measuring manpower constraints at the firm level, we document that manpower constraints vary substantially over time and across industries. Manpower-constrained firms have 5% higher capacity utilization and 21% longer order backlog.They also plan on higher...

Manpower constraints are the pervasive lack of specialized high- and low-skill workers, irrespective of the wage firms might offer. For a panel of German firms, we show manpower-constrained firms have higher capacity utilization and longer backlog of orders (measured in months). They are more...