Targeted activation: Evaluating a public-private labour market policy in Barcelona

Stephan Maurer; María Sánchez Vidal; Pere A. Taberner; Pablo Tucat

doi:10.24965/gapp.11560

Authors

Stephan Maurer University of Edinburgh. Centre for Economic Performance – CEP-LSE (Reino Unido – United Kingdom)
María Sánchez Vidal Knowledge Sharing Network – KSNET (España – Spain)
Pere A. Taberner Knowledge Sharing Network – KSNET, University of Barcelona and Institut d’Economia de Barcelona – IEB (España – Spain)
Pablo Tucat Knowledge Sharing Network – KSNET (España – Spain)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24965/gapp.11560

Keywords:

public-private partnership, active labour market policies, unemployment, training, matching, difference-in-differences

Abstract

Objectives: This article evaluates the impact of a local active labour market policy (POIL) implemented in the province of Barcelona, aimed at improving employment outcomes through public-private partnerships providing personalised support and placement in local jobs. Methodology: We combine a matching strategy with a difference-in-differences estimation using administrative data to estimate the causal effect of programme participation. Results: Participation in the programme increases the probability of finding employment by 3.4 percentage points. The effects are stronger among older workers, native individuals, and those with shorter prior unemployment spells. Conclusions: The findings highlight the potential of locally targeted active labour market policies to improve employment outcomes, particularly when interventions are tailored to sectoral needs and delivered through personalised support mechanisms.

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Author Biographies

Stephan Maurer, University of Edinburgh. Centre for Economic Performance – CEP-LSE (Reino Unido – United Kingdom)

Stephan is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at the University of Edinburgh. He holds a PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics and a Master in Economics from the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics. He is also an affiliate at the UPF Barcelona School of Management, at the Centre for economic Performance (LSE), and at the Research Cluster “Politics of Inequality” at the University of Konstanz. His areas of expertise are Labour Economics, Economic History, Economic Geography, and International Trade.

María Sánchez Vidal, Knowledge Sharing Network – KSNET (España – Spain)

Maria holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Barcelona. She worked as a researcher at the Centre for Economic Performance of the London School of Economics and as a lecturer at the University of Konstanz (Germany). She is a specialist in public policy evaluation and has led projects for public, private and third sector institutions, especially in the fields of labour economics, social protection and the fight against poverty and urban economics.

Pere A. Taberner, Knowledge Sharing Network – KSNET, University of Barcelona and Institut d’Economia de Barcelona – IEB (España – Spain)

Pere holds a Master in Economics from the University of Barcelona and is currently a PhD student at the Barcelona School of Economics of UB and in the Public Policy programme of the IEB. Researcher in economics and Research Coordinator at KSNET, he has experience in database construction, data analysis and econometric modelling for policy evaluation in labour market, education and poverty. His areas of interest include economics of education, gender, labour market and data science.

Pablo Tucat, Knowledge Sharing Network – KSNET (España – Spain)

Pablo is the Director of Strategy at KSNET. He holds a Master’s in Public and Social Policy from Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain) and a Master’s in Applied Economics from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (Argentina). He has worked as lecturer (Associate Professor) at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, as well as an economic advisor to the Argentine government and other public institutions on infrastructure and development policies. He is specialist in public policy evaluation, with particular interest in housing, infrastructure, and regional development.

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