Offshoring, the Nature of Tasks, and Occupational Stability: Empirical Evidence for Germany

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AbstractUsing a large administrative data set of individual employment histories for Germany, this paper studies the relationship between offshoring and the individual risk of leaving the occupation. Moreover, a rich data set on tasks performed in occupations is used to better characterise the sources of worker vulnerability. Both material and service offshoring are, on average, not associated with an increase in occupational outflow rates. However, this association depends on the nature of tasks performed in the occupation. Higher intensities of interactive and, in particular, non‐routine tasks are associated with a larger decrease (or a smaller increase) in the occupational hazard rate.