Record Details

The Choice of Majors as a Signaling Device

Economic Analysis Review

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Title The Choice of Majors as a Signaling Device

 
Creator Núñez, Javier
Otero, Andrés
 
Description This work analyzes the ability signaling hypothesis using a rich set of data of a homogeneous population –Business and Economics graduates of University X– who share similar occupations in the labor market. After studying three years of a common core curriculum, students must choose between either a Business or an Economics major. The work investigates if the choice of major is employed by the labor market as a signal of ability and of expected productivity, and if this is reflected in differences in the earnings profiles of graduates of each field. Given the detailed nature of the data, we employ an unusually rich measure of ability, namely the grades obtained in the core curriculum. This work presents multiple evidence in favor of this hypothesis. The evidence is based on seven empirical results, properly derived from a simple theoretical signaling model. The empirical facts support the sig-naling hypothesis under the assumption that an individual’s ability is gradually revealed to the labor market as experience increases.

 
Publisher Universidad Alberto Hurtado - Facultad de Economía y Negocios
 
Contributor

 
Date 2010-03-02
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion


 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.rae-ear.org/index.php/rae/article/view/44
 
Source Revista de Análisis Económico - Economic Analysis Review; Vol 20, No 1 (2005); 23-43
Revista de Análisis Económico – Economic Analysis Review; Vol 20, No 1 (2005); 23-43
0718-8870
0716-5927
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://www.rae-ear.org/index.php/rae/article/view/44/86