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In this brief comment, we return to the question raised in Dahlberg, Edmark and Lundqvist (2012) concerning a causal relationship between ethnic diversity and preferences for redistribution. A re-analysis of their study indicates that the results are based on a severe sample selection bias and an invalid instrumental variable. Correcting for either of these problems reveals that there is no relationship between ethnic diversity and preferences for redistribution. In fact, our re-analysis shows that it is only possible to find a statistically negative significant relationship by combining a highly selected sample with the invalid instrument.

A unique examination strategy in first year microeconomics courses is used to test for gender differences in preferences in examination behavior. Students have the possibility of attaining a seminar bonus on the final exam for near-perfect seminar attendance and are given two voluntary initial quizzes during the semester. At the final exam, the scores received on initial quizzes can either be accepted as is, or students can attempt to improve their marks by answering similar quiz questions on the exam. Results suggest that female students are more likely to take initial quizzes and receive a seminar bonus but are less likely to re-take quiz-questions on the final exam. These results suggest higher risk aversion among female students relative to male students, behavioral differences with tangible implications in terms of final grades on the course.

In this paper, we return to the question raised in Dahlberg et al. (2012) concerning a causal relationship between ethnic diversity and preferences for redistribution. A re-analysis of their study indicates that results are based on an endogenous instrument and severe sample attrition bias. Correcting for either of these two problems reveals that there is no relationship between ethnic diversity and preferences for redistribution. More generally, we provide results that put into question the conventional description of the Swedish refugee placement policy.

We examine differences in the intensity of employer priors against men and women with Arabic names in Sweden by testing how much more work experience is needed to eliminate the disadvantage of having an Arabic name on job applications. Employers are first sent CVs of equal merits in a field-experiment setup. Arabic-named CVs are thereafter enhanced with more relevant work experience than Swedishnamed CVs. Results indicate a reverse gender gap in employer priors as initial differences in call-backs disappear for female applicants when CVs for Arabic-named applications are enhanced, but remain strong and significant for male applicants. Thus, contrary to what is often assumed about the interaction of gender and ethnicity, we find that Arabic men face stronger discrimination in the labor market than Arabic women., info:eu-repo/semantics/published

For immigrants, intermarriage with natives is assumed to have an assimilating role due to the enhancement of local human capital such a union creates in the form of improved knowledge about host country institutions, language and customs as well as access to native spouses’ networks and contacts. However, marriage choice is endogenous, unobserved factors influence who we marry and our labor market outcomes. This study uses panel data on immigrants and their spouses in Sweden to estimate marriage premiums taking into account individual heterogeneity. This is done for three types of marriages; intermarriage to natives and intra-marriage with immigrants from home countries as well as or other (non-Swedish) countries. A staggered fixed effects model is estimated separately for each marriage type to further disentangle a causal effect of intermarriage (intra-marriage) on annual income from any remaining positive selection effects into respective marriage type. Results from fixed effects estimation indicate that all types of marriage (with one exception) yield positive marriage premiums of similar magnitude. Significant pre-marriage income growth and a lack of post-marriage income growth for those that marry natives suggest that intermarriage premiums are largely due to selection.

This study analyzes the social integration of immigrants and natives in Sweden using nine social measures; within region gender gaps in education, international and intra-national marriage propensities, young marriage, cohabitation, divorce, partner age gaps, female employment rates and female education levels. A process of social integration is found for all indicators as measured by relative gaps to natives across immigrant generations from the same region of origin. The relatively few deviations from this pattern found for some groups, primarily concerning international, intra-national marriage rates and cohabitation, is contingent on the selected sample of second generation immigrants with parents from the same country of origin. When estimation includes the majority of second generation immigrants with mixed backgrounds, a process of social integration is found for all groups and all social measures.

This study analyzes the social integration of immigrants and natives in Sweden using nine social measures; within region gender gaps in education, international and intra-national marriage propensities, young marriage, cohabitation, divorce, partner age gaps, female employment rates and female education levels. A process of social integration is found for all indicators as measured by relative gaps to natives across immigrant generations from the same region of origin. The relatively few deviations from this pattern found for some groups, primarily concerning international, intra-national marriage rates and cohabitation, is contingent on the selected sample of second generation immigrants with parents from the same country of origin. When estimation includes the majority of second generation immigrants with mixed backgrounds, a process of social integration is found for all groups and all social measures.

A Trial Introduction Program (TIP) for newly-arrived immigrants to Sweden was implemented from October 2006 to June 2008 in order to meet the main criticisms directed at existing introduction programs. Two primary innovations were introduced, flexible language instruction parallel with other labor market activities at the Public Employment Service (PES) and intensive counseling and coaching by PES caseworkers with considerably reduced caseloads. Within participating municipalities, newly-arrived immigrants were randomly assigned into TIP (treatment) or regular introduction programs (control). Results indicate significant treatment effects on the probability of attaining regular employment as well as the probability of entering intermediate PES training programs. Hazard rates into PES training programs were also significantly higher for participants in TIP in comparison to participants in regular introduction programs.

A Trial Introduction Program (TIP) for newly-arrived immigrants to Sweden was set up in October 2006 in order to meet the main criticisms directed at existing introduction programs. Two primary innovations were introduced, flexible language instruction parallel with other labor market activities at the Public Employment Service (PES) and intensive counselling and coaching by PES caseworkers with considerably reduced caseloads. Within participating municipalities, newly-arrived immigrants were randomly assigned into TIP or the control group, i.e., regular introduction programs. Results indicate small but significant treatment effects on the probability of attaining regular employment and subsidized employment. In addition, TIP participants were considerably more likely to enter intermediate PES training programs. Hazard rates into PES training programs were also significantly higher for participants in TIP in comparison to participants in regular introduction programs.

A Trial Introduction Program (TIP) for newly-arrived immigrants to Sweden was implemented from October 2006 to June 2008 in order to meet the main criticisms directed at existing introduction programs. Two primary innovations were introduced, flexible language instruction parallel with other labor market activities at the Public Employment Service (PES) and intensive counseling and coaching by PES caseworkers with considerably reduced caseloads. Within participating municipalities, newly-arrived immigrants were randomly assigned into TIP (treatment) or regular introduction programs (control). Results indicate significant treatment effects on the probability of attaining regular employment as well as the probability of entering intermediate PES training programs. Hazard rates into PES training programs were also significantly higher for participants in TIP in comparison to participants in regular introduction programs.

Assortative mating patterns in two dimensions namely, ethnic background and education are analysed in this paper for individuals with an immigrant background living in Sweden. We focus on the role of individual and spousal characteristics as well as the role of parental composition on partnership formation. Results indicate that assorative mating by ethnic background is significantly lower for second generation immigrants in comparison to first generation immigrants. In the case of assortative mating by education, although the descriptive statistics show that the proportion of educational homogamy is higher for second generation immigrants, after controlling for own and partners’ characteristics, educational homogamy is found to be significantly lower for those in the second generation. Gender differences in these patterns suggest that second generation females are significantly less likely than second generation men to be in educational homogamouspartnerships relative to their first generation counterparts. In terms of parental composition, having a Swedish background (mother or father) is associated with lower ethnic endogamy, especially for first generation women. Having a Swedish background is also associated with significantly higher probabilities of educational homogamy but primarily only for first generation male immigrants.

Using a two stage correspondence test methodology, this study tests employer priors against job-applicants with Arabic names compared to job-applicants with Swedish names. In the first stage, employers are sent CVs of equal observable quality. Thereafter, in the second stage, the CVs with Arabic names are given an advantage of, on average, two more years of relevant work experience. This setup allows us to test the strength of unfavorable priors against job-applicants with Arabic names and to what degree these priors are revised, on average, when resumes are enhanced. Results indicate no significant differences in call-backs for female applicants when CVs with Arabic names are enhanced. The call-back gap for men however remains large and signifcant despite a positive adjustment of CVs with Arabic names. This implies that negative priors against male job applicants with Arabic names are not revised by an increase in observable merits.

This paper explores the identity formation of a cohort of students with immigrant backgrounds in Sweden and the consequences of identity for subsequent labor market outcomes. Unique for this study is that identity is defined according to a two-dimensional acculturation framework based on both strength of identity to the (ethnic) minority and to the (Swedish) majority culture. Results indicate that what matters for labor market outcomes is strength of identification with the majority culture regardless of strength of (ethnic) minority identity. Labor market outcomes vary little between the assimilated and the integrated who have in common a strong majority identity but varying minority identity. Correlations between identity and labor market outcomes are however, an entirely male phenomenon.

The importance of investing in host country-specific human capital such as domestic language proficiency and domestic education is often cited as a determining factor for the labor market success of immigrants. This suggests that entirely domestic educations should even out the playing field providing equal labor market opportunities for natives and immigrants with similar (domestic) educations. This study follows a cohort of students from Swedish compulsory school graduation in 1988 until 2002 in order to document ethnic differences in education, including grades and field of education, and subsequent labor market outcomes. Results indicate both initial differences in youth labor market status and long term differences in employment rates, most notably for those with Non-European backgrounds. Differences in level or field of domestic education cannot explain persistent employment gaps. However, employment gaps are driven by differences among those with secondary school only. No employment or income gaps are found for the university educated.

Using a large running race in Sweden, this study shows that there are male-dominated environments in which the selection of women who participate are more likely to be confident/competitive and that, within this group, performance improves equally for both genders.

This paper explores the identity formation of a cohort of students with immigrant backgrounds in Sweden and the consequences of identity for subsequent educational attainment. Unique for this study is that identity is defined according to a two-dimensional acculturation framework based on both strength of identity to the (ethnic) minority and to the (Swedish) majority culture. Results indicate that integrated men are associated with significantly higher levels of education than assimilated men. No differences in educational attainment are found between the assimilated and the integrated for women. These results put into question the premise of oppositional identities, i.e., a trade-off between ethnic identity and educational achievement, among immigrants in Sweden.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of gender segregation on wages using matched employer-employee private-sector data from Sweden. The questions that we are interested in examining are two-fold. Has the effect of gender segregation on the gender wage gap been overestimated and what matters more for gender wage differentials, occupation or establishment segregation? Our results show that a too detailed aggregation of occupations and/or establishments leads to an overestimation of the segregation effect on gender wage differences. We also show that occupational segregation contributes more to explaining the wage gap than establishment segregation.

Based on a large matched employer-employee data set for Sweden, this study analyses gender differences in rent sharing. Results indicate a general pattern of significantly smaller remuneration from firm profits for women. Gender differences in rent sharing, however, explain less than two percent of gender wage differentials. This is not unexpected, as gender differences are found not in the mean profit levels of employing firms, but in remuneration from firm profit.

This study examines the employment convergence patterns of various immigrant groups to natives in Sweden. Using data with annual information (1990-1997) on more than 200,000 individuals, the probability of being regularly employed is estimated, by gender and region of birth, for immigrants with varying duration of residence in Sweden. The results indicate that employment convergence occurs primarily during the first 10 to 15 years after immigration and that significant differences to natives remain thereafter. East and Non European immigrants indicate 55 ­ 70 percent lower chances of being regularly employed, compared to natives, after twenty years in Sweden.

Based on unique Swedish historical panel data on voluntary Swedish sick insurance societies 1902-1910, we test the hypothesis od economies of scale in sick insurance provision. We report results indicating that pure insurance societies charging only premium ex ante do not exhibit returns to scale, while mutual insurance societies, who levy both an ex ante premium and an ex post assessment, do. We argue that this is due to a sorting mechanism implying that pure insurance societies attract high risk workers as they expand.

Using data from voluntary Swedish sick insurance societies 1902-1910, this paper analyzes the coexistence of pure and mutual insurance societies where pure societies are characterized by charging ex ante premiums only while mutuals in addition charge ex post assessments. Mutual insurance societies are found, on average, to be larger and to offer longer insurance coverage duration. Pure insurance societies have, on average, higher insurance coverage per day, greater mean levels of moral hazard controls, a higher mean number of policy categories and are on average, older.