Stature and Status: Height, ability and labor market outcomes
Essay for the Seminar Current Advances in Managerial Economics
University of Konstanz Prof. Dr. Christian Lukas Winter Semester 2007/2008
By: Dinara Kaneeva Jacob-Burckhardt Str. 35/429 78464 Konstanz
Konstanz, 19th December 2007
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Contents:
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………… 1
2. Correlation between height and labor market success through health issue: Theory and Evidence……………………………………………………......... 2
3. Psychological aspect in viewing the interrelationship between height and labor market outcomes……………………………………………………… 4
4. Cognitive abilities as a link between stature and determinants of labor market success………………………………………………………………… 6 4.1. Height, Cognitive Abilities and Earnings……………………………… 10 4.2. Height and Occupational choice………………………………………… 11
5. Conclusion.…………………………………………………………………... 13
List of References………………………………………………………………….15
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1. Introduction There is large and growing number of seminar papers and research articles, showing the relationship between human’s physical characteristics and labor market outcomes. For instance, in her recent paper Jane Greve (May 2006) analyzes the impact of obesity on both employment status and wages, Matt Parrett (2006) examines labor market discrimination based on beauty, Barry Harper (December 2000) in his research work “Beauty, Stature and the Labor Market: A British Cohort Study” shows the influence of physical appearance in the labor market using longitudinal cohort data. This paper examines the impact of height and stature on the labor market outcomes using primarily the research and survey data collected and examined by Anne Case and Christine Paxson in their paper “Stature and Status: Height, ability and labor market outcomes” (July 2006). A long list of research and scientific literature is dedicated to the
examination of relationship between height and outcomes of the labor market. A positive...