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Trade, Wages, and Profits

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  • Hartmut Egger
  • Peter Egger
  • Udo Kreickemeier

Abstract

This paper formulates a structural empirical model of heterogeneous firms whose workers exhibit fair-wage preferences, leading to a link between a firm’s operating profits and wages of workers employed by this firm. We estimate the parameters of the model in a data-set of five European economies. The model predicts an exporter wage premium, which we find to be sizable in all countries, with nearly 10 percent on average. The estimates enable us to conduct counterfactual exercises. We find that openness to international trade has quantitatively important effects, leading to higher wage inequality and lower aggregate employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Hartmut Egger & Peter Egger & Udo Kreickemeier, 2012. "Trade, Wages, and Profits," CESifo Working Paper Series 3911, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_3911
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    structural models; heterogeneous firms; fair wages; labour market imperfections; exporter wage premium;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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