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Why Do Some Firms Pay More? An Empirical Investigation of Inter-Firm Wage Differentials

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Author Info
Erling Barth (University of California, Berkeley)

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Abstract

The paper tests implications of efficiency wage theories, agency theories and union bargaining theory on Norwegian micro data. Firm specific means of individual characteristics as well as other firm characteristics are utilized to study the nature of high paying firms vs. lower paying firms. The study finds evidence in favor of all three types of non-market clearing models. Firms do not distinguish between workers with different levels of autonomy or union status in their wage setting. However, firms with a higher average level of employees' autonomy or union density pay better. Human capital effects, on the other hand, originate autonomy or union density pay better. Human capital effects, on the other hand, originate within firms. Wage enhancing mechanisms from each type of theory do not reinforce eachother: higher wages may serve several purposes in any one firm.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute of Industrial Relations, UC Berkeley in its series Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Working Paper Series with number 1070.

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Date of creation: 01 May 1992
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Handle: RePEc:cdl:indrel:1070

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Related research
Keywords: Barth; firms; pay; inter-firm wage differentials; investigation;

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References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Akerlof, George A, 1982. "Labor Contracts as Partial Gift Exchange," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 97(4), pages 543-69, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Erling Barth & Josef Zweimuller, 1992. "Labor Market Institutions and the Industry Wage Distribution: Evidence from Austria, Norway, and the U.S," Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Working Paper Series 1067, Institute of Industrial Relations, UC Berkeley. [Downloadable!]
  3. James B. Rebitzer & Michael D. Robinson, 1991. "Employer Size and Dual Labor Markets," NBER Working Papers 3587, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  4. Shapiro, Carl & Stiglitz, Joseph E, 1984. "Equilibrium Unemployment as a Worker Discipline Device," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 74(3), pages 433-44, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Erling Barth, 1991. "Disagreement Points in Wage Bargaining," Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Working Paper Series 1064, Institute of Industrial Relations, UC Berkeley. [Downloadable!]
  6. Rubinstein, Ariel, 1982. "Perfect Equilibrium in a Bargaining Model," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(1), pages 97-109, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. William T. Dickens & Lawrence F. Katz, 1987. "Interindustry Wage Differences and Industry Characteristics," NBER Working Papers 2014, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Akerlof, George A & Yellen, Janet L, 1990. "The Fair Wage-Effort Hypothesis and Unemployment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 105(2), pages 255-83, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Alan B. Krueger & Lawrence H. Summers, 1987. "Reflections on the Inter-Industry Wage Structure," NBER Working Papers 1968, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Katharine G. Abraham & Henry S. Farber, 1987. "Job Duration, Seniority, and Earnings," NBER Working Papers 1819, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  11. Krueger, Alan B & Summers, Lawrence H, 1988. "Efficiency Wages and the Inter-industry Wage Structure," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 56(2), pages 259-93, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Krueger, Alan B, 1991. "Ownership, Agency, and Wages: An Examination of Franchising in the Fast Food Industry," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 106(1), pages 75-101, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Topel, Robert H, 1991. "Specific Capital, Mobility, and Wages: Wages Rise with Job Seniority," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(1), pages 145-76, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  14. Brown, Charles & Medoff, James, 1989. "The Employer Size-Wage Effect," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(5), pages 1027-59, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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