Technological peer pressure and skill specificity of job postings

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Cao, Yi; Cheng, Shijun; Tucker, Jennifer Wu; Wan, Chi
• 署名单位: George Mason University; Shanghai Jiao Tong University; State University System of Florida; University of Florida; University of Massachusetts System; University of Massachusetts Boston
• 刊物名称: CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTING RESEARCH
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0823-9150
• DOI: 10.1111/1911-3846.12870
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 2106-2139
• 关键词: research-and-development; CORPORATE DISCLOSURE; TRADE SECRETS; earnings performance; reporting quality; MARKET; search; COMPETITION; requirements; tournaments

摘要

Human capital is a major impetus for technological innovation. We examine the relation between the technological dimension of product market competition and the disclosure of skill requirements in job postings. On the one hand, technological competition may raise the urgency of recruiting tech talent and make firms provide more specific skill requirements. On the other hand, technological competition can increase the proprietary costs of skill requirement disclosure. Using technological peer pressure as a measure of technological competition, we find that firms facing intense technological competition provide more specific skill requirements for tech positions, suggesting that the disclosure benefits outweigh the proprietary costs when firms face pressure to innovate. The effect of technological peer pressure is more pronounced among firms that make only incremental innovations and less pronounced among firms that rely on trade secrets or have greater industry peer presence in close geographical proximity. Our study documents a distinct relationship between technological competition and voluntary disclosure targeted to labor market participants.