Wage Elasticity Of Labor Demand Research Articles

Firm’s globalization and wage elasticity of labour demand in South Korea

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effects of exports and overseas investments on the wage elasticity of labour demand for both foreign multinational corporations (MNCs) and Korean MNCs using a 2006–2015 firm-level unbalanced panel dataset from South Korea. I employ the system generalized method of moments to estimate a dynamic labour demand function to solve the problem of reverse causality due to potential endogeneity. The results suggest that exports play a critical role in increasing wage elasticity among foreign MNCs, whereas overseas investments render labour demand more elastic among both foreign MNCs and Korean MNCs. Particularly, these effects of globalization on increasing wage elasticity became strengthened among foreign MNCs during the post-financial crisis period. Moreover, the intra-firm and inter-firm exports of foreign MNCs from OECD nations, which reflect the vertical integration of foreign MNCs with their affiliated firms, increase the wage elasticity of labour demand. Since overseas investments induce higher wage elasticity of labour demand, overseas investment substitutes for local production activity. These empirical results imply that the rapid pace of globalization exacerbates the instability of the local labour market, and the aggravation of employment vulnerability during the post-crisis period is driven by foreign MNC activity.

ELASTISITAS PERMINTAAN TENAGA KERJA PADA USAHA KONVEKSI SKALA MIKRO DAN KECIL

Labor intensive in small and micro scales garment sector is very common in Soreang Village, Bandung Regency, West Java Province. The purpose of this study is to analyze the elasticity of labor demand of the labor-intensive micro-small scale garment enterprises. Sixty seven entrepreneurs were interviewed to collect primary data. Result from natural logarithm regression showed that labor demand was inelastic to the unit number of machines, wage, number of output, and firm age. These regression coefficients showed that unit of machines was complementary for labor; the wage elasticity of labor demand was negative; the increase in production output will lead to increase in labor demand; and, firm age was contributed positively to the increase in labor demand.Keywords: elasticity of labor demand; small-micro scale enterprises; garment

Exporting and labour demand: Micro‐level evidence from Germany

AbstractIt is widely believed that globalization increases the extent of employment and wage responses to economic shocks. In this paper, we investigate the effect of firms’ exporting activities on the wage elasticity of labour demand. Using rich, administrative linked employer–employee panel data from Germany and destination‐specific industry‐level information on trade flows, we explicitly control for self‐selection into exporting and endogeneity concerns. Overall, we find that exporting has a significant positive effect on the (absolute value of the) unconditional wage elasticity of labour demand. In line with our hypothesis, we further show that the effect is particularly strong for those plants that export a significant share of their output to low‐ and medium‐income countries, hence face relatively more price‐elastic product demand.

Labor Market Regulation, International Trade and Footloose Capital

I examine the effects of globalization in countries where the employed workers support the unemployed and the governments control wages by regulating the workers' relative bargaining power. I use a general oligopolistic equilibrium model of two integrated countries with two inputs: labor and potentially footloose capital. National competition for jobs by labor market deregulation creates a distortion with suboptimal wages. The mobility of capital aggravates that distortion by increasing the wage elasticity of labor demand, which decreases wages and welfare even further. The delegation of labor market regulation to an international agent eliminates that distortion, increasing wages and aggregate welfare.

REGIONAL VARIATIONS IN LABOR DEMAND ELASTICITY: EVIDENCE FROM U.S. COUNTIES

ABSTRACTWe use a large panel dataset covering the period 1988–2010 to estimate county specific own‐wage elasticity of labor demand in the U.S. for four highly aggregated industries: construction, finance/insurance/real‐estate/service, manufacturing, and retail trade. Our estimation of a random parameter panel data model yields significant evidence of spatial variations in wage elasticity of labor demand. We relate the spatial variation in elasticity to differences in county characteristics like industry specialization, industry competition, levels of natural amenity and urbanization. Using a regression discontinuity approach we also find that probusiness states have higher labor demand elasticity.

The Effects of the Labor Contract Law on the Chinese Labor Market

This article uses a micro‐level data set to investigate the effect of China's Labor Contract Law, implemented in 2008, on the Chinese labor market. Our empirical evidence shows that the labor law reform significantly improved employee benefit. This effect is greater for state‐owned enterprises, for large and domestic firms, and for regions with high unionization and high skill intensity. The Labor Contract Law significantly reduces the wage elasticity of labor demand, especially in highly unionized and skill‐intensive industries. However, this effect is less significant in globalized industries and female‐employee‐intensive industries. Overall, our results emphasize the important role of China's Labor Contract Law in improving employment protection, and substantial variations in the impact of labor law reform across different firms, regions, and industries.

Domestic multinationals, foreign affiliates, and labour demand elasticities

Using information on a panel of multinational firms operating in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2005, we find that labour demand in domestic multinationals is less sensitive to labour cost changes than in foreign multinationals. This difference in the wage elasticity of labour demand persists even when we control for the skill intensity of firms or their level of intangible assets. This is in line with an interpretation that the provision of headquarter services in domestic multinational firms protects against strong fluctuations in labour demand. Overall, our results suggest that the wage elasticity of labour demand is about 40 % lower in domestic than in foreign multinationals.

Revisiting wage subsidies: How pro-poor is a South African wage subsidy likely to be?

Wage subsidies have been used in both developed and developing countries to raise employment. After a decade of deliberation, the South African Government recently announced the introduction of a wage subsidy scheme. Given the intrinsic link between unemployment and poverty in South Africa, the belief is that a wage subsidy programme sufficient in scope will also make inroads into poverty. However, the way in which jobs are distributed among poor and non-poor jobseekers is crucial. Our general equilibrium microsimulation model confirms the expectation that a higher wage elasticity of labour demand is associated with larger reductions in poverty. We also find that a greater proportion of new jobs accrue to poor jobseekers when the elasticity is high. While youth-targeting does not improve the poverty-reducing effect of the policy, sectors such as textiles, accommodation, and construction services with their pro-poor employment profiles are good candidates for targeting.

Domestic Multinationals, Foreign Affiliates, and Labour Demand Elasticities

Using information on a panel of multinational firms operating in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2005, we find that labour demand in domestic multinationals is less sensitive to labour cost changes than in foreign multinationals. This difference in the wage elasticity of labour demand persists even when we control for the skill intensity of firms or their level of intangible assets. This is in line with an interpretation that the provision of headquarter services in domestic multinational firms protects against strong fluctuations in labour demand. Overall, our results suggest that the wage elasticity of labour demand is about 40 percent lower in domestic than in foreign multinationals.

Offshoring, labour market institutions and the elasticity of labour demand

This paper analyses the evolution of the elasticity of labour demand and the possible role of offshoring therein using industry-level data for a large number of OECD countries. The first main finding is that the wage elasticity of labour demand has increased substantially since 1980, although some of this increase may reflect a trend increase in the speed of adjustment rather than an increase in the long-run wage elasticity. The evidence on the potential contribution of offshoring to raising labour demand elasticity is mixed. No association is found between increases in offshoring and demand elasticity during the second half of the 1990s, but there is a significant cross-sectional association between higher average offshoring intensity during this period and higher demand elasticity. We also find some evidence that strict employment protection legislation weakens the cross-sectional association between offshoring and higher labour demand elasticity, suggesting that the relationship between offshoring and the labour demand elasticity may depend on the national institutional environment.

Multinationals, skills, and wage elasticities

The increase in foreign direct investments raises concerns about labor market consequences in many countries. It is feared that multinational firms are inclined to shift jobs abroad and increase job volatility. We use firm-level data to examine if multinationality and foreign ownership affect the wage elasticity of labor demand. Unlike previous studies, we distinguish the effect on different skill groups of employees. We find no general difference in wage elasticity between foreign and domestic firms but the wage elasticity is higher in multinational firms than in national firms, in particular for medium-skilled workers.

Multinational companies, backward linkages, and labour demand elasticities

Abstract This paper investigates the link between nationality of ownership and wage elasticities of labour demand at the level of the plant. In particular, we examine whether labour demand in multinationals becomes less elastic with respect to the wage if the plant has backward linkages with the local economy. Our empirical evidence, based on a rich plant level dataset, shows that the extent of local linkages does indeed generally reduce the wage elasticity of labour demand. This result is economically important and holds for a number of different specifications.

Equilibrium unemployment with outsourcing under labour market imperfections

We study the effects of international outsourcing on equilibrium unemployment in a high-wage economy with labour market imperfections. We demonstrate, consistent with empirical results, that the wage elasticity of labour demand is increasing as a function of outsourcing. Furthermore, we show that a production mode with more outsourcing reduces the negotiated wage in a high-wage country with labour market imperfections if the relative bargaining power of the labour union is sufficiently high. Under such circumstances outsourcing reduces equilibrium unemployment. Finally, we characterize the optimal production mode showing that stronger labour market imperfections induce a production mode with more outsourcing.

Matching bias in labor demand estimation

Using a matched firm-worker dataset, we show both theoretically and empirically that positive assortative matching between firms and workers leads to an underestimation of the absolute value of wage elasticity of labor demand.

Offshoring, Labour Market Institutions and the Elasticity of Labour Demand

This paper analyses the evolution of the elasticity of labour demand and the role of offshoring therein using industry-level data for a large number of OECD countries. The first main finding is that the wage elasticity of labour demand has increased substantially. The finding that employment has become increasingly sensitivity to wages is shown to be robust to a wide variety of econometric specifications of labour demand, although some of this association may reflect a trend increase in the speed of adjustment rather than an increase in the long-run wage elasticity. A second finding is that more intensive offshoring is associated with more elastic labour demand, consistent with increased offshoring having expanded the flexibility of firms to adjust the mix of domestic workers and foreign value-added in production when relative factor prices change. More in particular, the average elasticity of labour demand appears to be about 30% to 40% larger in absolute value than the counter-factual elasticity which would have prevailed had offshoring not been possible. Increases of this magnitude might well have important implications for job security and worker bargaining power. Finally, we find some evidence that strict employment protection legislation weakens the link between offshoring and higher labour demand elasticity. This suggests that the impact of offshoring on labour demand elasticity depends on the national institutional environment.

Stability and Dynamics in an Overlapping Generations Economy with Flexible Wage Negotiations

We analyze the stability and dynamics of an overlapping generations model with imperfectly competitive labour markets. By focusing on the right-to-manage wage bargaining we assume that wage is negotiated after the capital stock decision. With Cobb-Douglas utility and production functions the steady state is unique and the steady state capital stock depends positively both on the trade union’s bargaining power and on the wage elasticity of labour demand. That elasticity depends either on lower decreasing returns to scale and/or more intensive product market competition. Finally, we show that the steady state equilibrium is a saddle.

Equilibrium Unemployment with Outsourcing Under Labour Market Imperfections

We study both the various consequences and the incentives of outsourcing. We argue that the wage elasticity of labour demand is increasing as a function of the share of outsourcing, which is importantly a result consistent with existing empirical research. Furthermore, we show that a production mode with a higher proportion of outsourcing activity reduces the negotiated wage in the high-wage country with an imperfectly competitive labour market so that outsourcing reduces equilibrium unemployment. Finally, we characterize the optimal production mode and show that stronger labour market imperfections lead to a production mode with a higher share of outsourcing.

Equilibrium Unemployment with Outsourcing Under Labour Market Imperfections

We study both the various consequences and the incentives of outsourcing. We argue that the wage elasticity of labour demand is increasing as a function of the share of outsourcing, which is importantly a result consistent with existing empirical research. Furthermore, we show that a production mode with a higher proportion of outsourcing activity reduces the negotiated wage in the high-wage country with an imperfectly competitive labour market so that outsourcing reduces equilibrium unemployment. Finally, we characterize the optimal production mode and show that stronger labour market imperfections lead to a production mode with a higher share of outsourcing.

Multinational Companies, Backward Linkages and Labour Demand Elasticities

This paper investigates the link between nationality of ownership and wage elasticities of labour demand at the level of the plant. In particular, we examine whether labour demand in multinationals becomes less elastic with respect to the wage if the plant has backward linkages with the local economy. Our empirical evidence, based on a rich plant level dataset, shows that the extent of local linkages indeed generally reduces the wage elasticity of labour demand. This result is economically important and holds for a number of different specifications.

Product Market Competition, Profit Sharing and Equilibrium Unemployment

We investigate the implications of product market imperfections on profit sharing, wage negotiation and equilibrium unemployment. The optimal profit share, which the firms use as a wage-moderating commitment device, is below the bargaining power of the trade union. Intensified product market competition decreases profit sharing, but increases the negotiated base wage, because the wage-increasing effect of reduced profit sharing dominates the wage-reducing effect associated with a higher wage elasticity of labor demand. Finally, we show that intensified product market competition does not necessarily reduce equilibrium unemployment, because it induces both higher wage mark-ups and lower optimal profit shares.