@misc{01KEH29211P75WYJG9NXGCAPMM,
  abstract     = {{Regional mobility is crucial for addressing labour shortages, as jobseekers from one region
may fill vacancies in another region with few local candidates. However, this requires
a willingness amongst employers to consider candidates from across regional borders.
This study examines the influence of regional identity on hiring decisions in the Belgian
labour market, focusing on perceptions of Flemish recruiters towards Flemish and Walloon
candidates. Through a state-of-the-art vignette experiment, genuine Flemish recruiters
evaluated fictitious resumes of school leavers that signalled regional identity through their
name, place of birth, residential address, secondary school location, and/or language
proficiency. Walloon candidates consistently score lower on key hiring metrics. Structural
equation modelling reveals that Flemish employers hold negative perceptions of Walloon
candidates, particularly regarding availability, interpersonal competency, attitude, and
willingness of employers, employees, and clients to cooperate with them. These findings
highlight the persistent role of regional identity stereotypes in reinforcing labour market
inequalities and impeding mobility as a strategy to mitigate labour market tightness.}},
  articleno    = {{17855}},
  author       = {{Devos, Louise and Lippens, Louis and Claus, Dagmar and Baert, Stijn}},
  issn         = {{2365-9793}},
  keywords     = {{labour market,regional mobility,culture,perceptions,discrimination,Belgium}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{55}},
  series       = {{IZA DISCUSSION PAPERS}},
  title        = {{The impact of regional identity on hiring chances : an experiment examining employer bias}},
  url          = {{https://docs.iza.org/dp17855.pdf}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}