Institutions, Technological Change and Wage Differentials between Skilled and Unskilled Workers: Theory and Evidence from Europe

Author(s):  
Lorenzo Corsini
2011 ◽  
pp. 75-94
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Corsini ◽  
Elisabetta Olivieri

The authors study the evolution of the wage differentials between skilled and unskilled workers in Italy from 1977 to 2004. In this period, the differentials do not show a clear trend (apart for a feeble increasing trend in the very last years) and they fluctuate around a fairly stable mean. Four factors may influence the evolution of those differentials: relative supply of skilled and unskilled workers, technological change (which may be biased toward a certain category), international commerce, and, finally, institutions in the labour market. After discussing some of these aspects from a theoretical point of view, the authors perform an econometrical analysis for the Italian case with the SUR estimation technique, and test which of these factors are important in explaining the evolution of the differentials and how they affect different categories of workers.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boško Mijatović ◽  
Branko Milanovic

The paper presents the first estimate of the welfare ratio for Serbia using the 19th and early 20th century data on wages of skilled and unskilled workers (including the part paid in kind) and prices of goods that enter into “subsistence” and “respectability” consumption baskets. It finds a stagnation of unskilled wage close to the welfare ratio of 1, and a modest increase in skilled wage. The paper introduces several adjustments to conventional methodology in order to make it more relevant for predominantly agricultural societies. (Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality Working Paper)


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shruti Sharma

This paper examines the differential effects, based on the size of the plant, of industry-level foreign direct investment (FDI) on plant-level employment and the wages of skilled and unskilled workers in India's manufacturing sector. On average, there are strong positive differential effects of increased inward-level FDI for large plants relative to small and average-sized plants in terms of employment and the average wages of both skilled and unskilled workers. Small plants experience negative effects from inward FDI, which can be explained by intra-industry reallocation of output from smaller to larger plants. After conducting a regional analysis, I find positive spillovers to small plants in Indian states that receive large and persistent flows of FDI. This suggests that a critical mass of FDI is necessary for small plants to experience positive spillover effects.


2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tailong Li ◽  
Shiyuan Pan ◽  
Heng-fu Zou

In a knowledge-based growth model where skilled workers are used in innovation and production, skill-biased technological change may lower average R&D productivity via an innovation possibilities frontier effect that eliminates scale effects. We show that skill-biased technological change increases the skill premium even if the elasticity of substitution between skilled and unskilled workers is less than two. Trade between developed countries promotes skill-biased technological change, thus raising wage inequality. Trade between developed and developing countries has differing effects: it induces relatively skill-replacing technological change and lowers wage inequality in the developed country but has the opposite effects in the developing country. Finally, we show that trade can stimulate or hurt economic growth.


2011 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nik Azma Wail ◽  
Rahmah Ismail ◽  
Ishak Yussof

Di Malaysia, permintaan terhadap kemahiran buruh telah mengalami perubahan kesan daripada perubahan struktur ekonomi. Kesan selanjutnya, berlaku perubahan dalam nisbah upah antara kemahiran yang memihak kepada buruh yang lebih mahir. Terdapat banyak faktor yang menentukan tingkat upah pekerja seperti modal manusia khususnya pencapaian pendidikan, pengalaman dan latihan, faktor demografi dan sektor pekerjaan. Walau bagaimanapun, setelah mengambil kira semua perbezaan dalam pemboleh ubah yang berkaitan dengan produktiviti ini, perbezaan upah mengikut jenis pekerjaan atau kemahiran masih berlaku yang boleh disebabkan oleh perlakuan diskriminasi majikan. Kertas ini bertujuan mengenal pasti penentu perbezaan upah mengikut kemahiran di Malaysia. Analisis berdasarkan kepada data 2,216 ketua isi rumah yang dikutip pada tahun 2007/2008, hasil kajian ini menunjukkan pemboleh ubah modal manusia memainkan peranan utama dalam menentukan tingkat dan perbezaan upah mengikut kemahiran. Selanjutnya, hasil kajian juga menunjukkan 64.25 peratus daripada perbezaan upah pekerja mahir dengan pekerja separuh mahir dapat diterangkan oleh pemboleh ubah dalam model upah dan 35.75 peratus tidak dapat diterangkan. Bahagian yang tidak dapat diterangkan ini termasuklah amalan diskriminasi oleh majikan terhadap pekerja mereka. Bagi perbezaan upah antara pekerja mahir dengan tidak mahir pula, sebanyak 77.20 peratus dapat diterangkan dan 22.80 peratus tidak dapat diterangkan. Kata kunci: Perbezaan upah; diskriminasi; pekerja mahir; pekerja separa mahir; pekerja tidak mahir In Malaysia, demand for skills has been changing dramatically as a result of economic transformation. This subsequently resulted in changes in wage ratio between skills, which is more favourable towards skilled workers. However, it has been argued that wage rate does not merely depend on the demand for labour, but there are other factors that can influence workers’ wages. These include human capital variables like educational attainment, experience and training; demographic factors and job sectors. Even after taking into account the variations in these productivity-related variables, occupational wage differentials may still prevail as a result of employers' discriminatory practice. This paper attempts to measure wage differentials determinants by skills in Malaysia. The analysis is based on 2,216 heads of households data collected in 2007/2008. The result revealed that human capital variables play a major role in determining the level of wage and its differentials between skills. Moreover, the result demonstrates that 64.25 percent of skilled-semi skilled wage differentials are explained by the incorporated variables in the wage model, whereas 35.75 percent are unexplained. This unexplained portion includes the employers’ discriminatory practice against their workers. For the skilled-unskilled wage differentials 77.2 percent are explained and 22.8 percent are unexplained. Key words: Wage differentials; discrimination; skilled workers; semi-skilled workers; unskilled workers


2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Youngho Kang ◽  
Hyejoon Im

Abstract: Using longitudinal survey data from Korean workers, we examine whether the effects of import competition on post-displacement wages are heterogeneous between skilled and unskilled workers for trading partners with different endowments of (un)skilled labor. Reemployment wages of displaced workers show a decrease for skilled workers but an increase for unskilled ones when imports from an advanced country rise, whereas they decrease for unskilled workers but increase for skilled ones when imports from a developing country rise. The results provide support for the Stolper–Samuelson theorem.


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