Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The aim of the research was to test the predictions of the stock-flow matching model. The specific objectives were: to construct a unique database to analyse the joint behaviour of employers and job seekers; to determine the length of time it takes new entrants to the labour market to sample the existing stocks, and to examine the implications of temporal aggregation; to estimate the matching probability for four sub-samples of job seekers and vacancies; to estimate duration models for both unemployment and vacancy hazards to determine whether there is a discrete fall in the hazard after new agents have searched the existing stocks; to aggregate the data on job seekers and vacancies to estimate hiring and contract functions; to examine the implications of changes in the occupational preferences of job seekers for the stock-flow matching model; to explore the policy implications of the project findings.

Main Topics:

Detailed micro-level data were collected from both sides of a particualr labour market, namely the youth labour market in Lancashire between 1988 and 1992. Contact matches between job seekers and vacancies were observed, along with how long each agent had been in the market they match. These high frequency agent-level data enabled the researchers to test the stock-flow matching model against the random matching model. In addition, the dataset contains control variables for job seekers and vacancies (job and Youth Training Scheme - YTS). Wage is also recorded for a large number of the vacancies.

No sampling (total universe)

Transcription of existing materials

Compilation or synthesis of existing material