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Place-specific determinants of income gaps: New sub-national evidence from Mexico

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  • Hausmann, Ricardo
  • Pietrobelli, Carlo
  • Santos, Miguel Angel

Abstract

The literature on wage gaps between Chiapas and the rest of Mexico revolves around individual factors, such as education and ethnicity. Yet, twenty years after the Zapatista rebellion, the schooling gap has shrunk while the wage gap has widened, and we find no evidence indicating that Chiapas indigenes are worse-off than their likes elsewhere in Mexico. We explore a different hypothesis and argue that place-specific characteristics condition the choices and behaviors of individuals living in Chiapas and explain persisting income gaps. Most importantly, they limit the necessary investments at the firm level in dynamic capabilities. Based on census data, we calculate the economic complexity index, a measure of the knowledge agglomeration embedded in the economic activities at the municipal level. Economic complexity explains a larger fraction of the wage gap than any individual factor. Our results suggest that the problem is Chiapas, and not Chiapanecos.

Suggested Citation

  • Hausmann, Ricardo & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Santos, Miguel Angel, 2021. "Place-specific determinants of income gaps: New sub-national evidence from Mexico," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 782-792.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:131:y:2021:i:c:p:782-792
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.01.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Farah Hani & Miguel Angel Santos, 2021. "Diagnosing Human Capital as a Binding Constraint to Growth: Tests, Symptoms and Prescriptions," CID Working Papers 144a, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    2. Monroy-Gómez-Franco, Luis Angel, 2022. "Regional comparisons of intergenerational social mobility: the importance of positional mobility," SocArXiv zgfvk, Center for Open Science.
    3. Ana Grisanti & Jorge Tudela Pye & Miguel Angel Santos & Ricardo Hausmann & Yang Li, 2021. "Loreto’s Hidden Wealth: Economic Complexity Analysis and Productive Diversification Opportunities," CID Working Papers 386a, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    4. Monroy-Gómez-Franco, Luis, 2023. "The importance of positional mobility for regional comparisons," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(3), pages 322-333.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic complexity; Wage gaps; Development policy; Dynamic capabilities; Mexico;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists
    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O20 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - General
    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General

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