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Nominal wage rigidity in the European Countries: evidence from the Europanel

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  • Orietta Dessy

    (CREST-INSEE)

Abstract

This paper analyses wage dynamics at individual level using the ECHP data. We compare yearly wage changes of employees in twelve European countries during the 1994-96 time-period. In all the European countries we find evidence of nominal and not real wage rigidity. At the same time, in none of the countries considered wages are completely downwardly rigid. We also compare nominal wage changes of employees staying with the same employer to movers and find that, despite movers distributions are generally more flexible than stayers, surprisingly enough they also have a spike at zero. Explanations of the above results with institutional features of the countries considered are given.

Suggested Citation

  • Orietta Dessy, 2002. "Nominal wage rigidity in the European Countries: evidence from the Europanel," 10th International Conference on Panel Data, Berlin, July 5-6, 2002 D2-1, International Conferences on Panel Data.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpd:pd2002:d2-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Holden Steinar & Wulfsberg Fredrik, 2008. "Downward Nominal Wage Rigidity in the OECD," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-50, April.
    2. Francesco Devicienti & Agata Maida & Paolo Sestito, 2007. "Downward Wage Rigidity in Italy: Micro-Based Measures and Implications," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(524), pages 530-552, November.
    3. Christoph Knoppik & Thomas Beissinger, 2009. "Downward nominal wage rigidity in Europe: an analysis of European micro data from the ECHP 1994–2001," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 321-338, May.
    4. Alfonso Arpaia & Karl Pichelmann, 2007. "Nominal and real wage flexibility in EMU," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 299-328, November.
    5. Bartolucci, Cristian, 2012. "Business cycles and wage rigidity," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 568-583.
    6. Camba-Méndez, Gonzalo & Garcí­a, Juan Angel & Rodriguez-Palenzuela, Diego, 2003. "Relevant economic issues concerning the optimal rate of inflation," Working Paper Series 278, European Central Bank.
    7. Thomas Beissinger & Chritoph Knoppik, 2005. "Sind Nominallöhne starr? Neuere Evidenz und wirtschaftspolitische Implikationen," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 6(2), pages 171-188, May.
    8. Francesco Devicienti & Agata Maida & Paolo Sestito, 2003. "Nominal and Real Wage Rigidity: An Assessment Using Italian Microdata," LABORatorio R. Revelli Working Papers Series 33, LABORatorio R. Revelli, Centre for Employment Studies.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    wage rigidity; hold-up; risk-sharing; stayers; movers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts

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