Abstract
Abstract This paper discusses methodological issues arising from the use of online job vacancy data and voluntary web-based surveys to analyse the labour market. We highlight the advantages and possible disadvantages of using online data and suggest strategies for overcoming selected methodological issues. We underline the difficulties in adjusting for representativeness of online job vacancies, but nevertheless argue that this rich source of data should be exploited. JEL codes: E4, J2
Highlights
Internet-based data collection and research are growing research areas with a strong potential to deepen and widen our knowledge about various socio-economic issues
The aim of this paper is to address the methodological issues arising from the use of online vacancy and voluntary web-survey data to understand labour market developments
We synthesise and critique the various approaches taken by different authors in attempting to deal with representativeness issues related to the usage of online job vacancy data for analytical and policy-making purposes
Summary
Internet-based data collection and research are growing research areas with a strong potential to deepen and widen our knowledge about various socio-economic issues. Kuhn (2014) and Kuhn and Mansour (2014) provide evidence of the prominent role of online tools in job matching This presents new opportunities to collect and analyse web-based data about labour market demand and supply, which can enrich our micro-level understanding of pertinent issues such as skill and task requirements of employers, occupational change, wages and working conditions. Collection of vacancy data offline is costly and time consuming and online availability provides opportunities to access and analyse the content of job advertisements to better understand what employers require in a way which would not be Kureková et al IZA Journal of Labor Economics (2015) 4:18 practically feasible using traditional newspaper sources of the past Advantages such as time and cost effectiveness and the easy variability of survey questions apply to voluntary web-based surveys (Wade and Parent 2001; Steinmetz and Tijdens 2009; Mang 2012). He points to coverage and sampling errors as important issues to
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