Skill Shortages in Turkey: Evidence Firm-Level Data

The term skill shortage refers to a situation in which the demand for skilled labor exceeds the supply of it in the labor market. By drawing on firm level data from Enterprise Surveys conducted by the World Bank, this study explores the incidence and likelihood of skill shortages in Turkey in 2008 and 2013. The responses given by the firms as to whether an inadequately educated workforce is an obstacle to their operations serves as an indication of skill shortages. Probit model estimations indicate that there is a positive and statistically significant association between firm size and the likelihood of skill shortages. The activities of informal competitors are also found to increase skill shortages. The determinants of skill shortages vary across 2008 and 2013.