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Dynamics of Earnings and Hourly Wages in Germany

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  • Michal Myck
  • Richard Ochmann
  • Salmai Qari

Abstract

There is by now a lot of evidence showing a sharp increase in cross-sectional wage and earnings inequality during the 2000s in Germany. Our study is the first to decompose this cross-sectional variance into its permanent and transitory parts for years beyond 2000. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel on fulltime working individuals for years of 1994 to 2006, we do not find unambiguous empirical support for the frequent claims that recent increases in inequality have been driven mainly by permanent disparities. From 1994 on, permanent inequality increases continuously, peaks in 2001 but then declines in subsequent years. Interestingly the decline in the permanent fraction of inequality occurs at the time of most rapid increases in cross-sectional inequality. It seems therefore that it is primarily the temporary and not the permanent component which has driven the strong expansion of cross-sectional inequality during the 2000s in Germany.

Suggested Citation

  • Michal Myck & Richard Ochmann & Salmai Qari, 2009. "Dynamics of Earnings and Hourly Wages in Germany," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 929, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp929
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    Cited by:

    1. Reinhold, Mario & Thomsen, Stephan, 2015. "Patterns of Labour Market Entry of High-Skilled Workers in Germany," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113018, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Reinhold, Mario & Thomsen, Stephan L., 2017. "The changing situation of labor market entrants in Germany : a long-run analysis of wages and occupational patterns," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 50(1), pages 161-174.
    3. Aedín Doris & Donal O’Neill & Olive Sweetman, 2013. "Identification of the covariance structure of earnings using the GMM estimator," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 11(3), pages 343-372, September.
    4. Reinhold, Mario & Thomsen, Stephan L., 2017. "The changing situation of labor market entrants in Germany : a long-run analysis of wages and occupational patterns," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 50(1), pages 161-174.
    5. Mario Reinhold & Stephan Thomsen, 2017. "The changing situation of labor market entrants in Germany [Die veränderliche Situation für Berufseinsteiger in Deutschland]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 50(1), pages 161-174, August.
    6. Giesecke, Matthias & Bönke, Timm & Lüthen, Holger, 2011. "The Dynamics of Earnings in Germany: Evidence from Social Security Records," VfS Annual Conference 2011 (Frankfurt, Main): The Order of the World Economy - Lessons from the Crisis 48692, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    7. Mirko Felchner, 2015. "Einkommensdynamik bei Selbständigen als Freie Berufe und abhängig Beschäftigte Eine dynamische Paneldatenschätzung mit Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels," FFB-Discussionpaper 101, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)), LEUPHANA University Lüneburg.
    8. Krebs, Tom & Yao, Yao, 2016. "Labor Market Risk in Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 9869, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. van Treeck, Till. & Sturn, Simon., 2012. "Income inequality as a cause of the Great Recession? : A survey of current debates," ILO Working Papers 994709343402676, International Labour Organization.
    10. Corneo Giacomo, 2015. "Kreuz und quer durch die deutsche Einkommensverteilung," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 16(2), pages 109-126, June.
    11. Chauvel Louis & Hartung Anne & Palmisano Flaviana, 2019. "Dynamics of Individual Income Rank Volatility: Evidence from West Germany and the US," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 1-22, April.
    12. Myck, Michal & Ochmann, Richard & Qari, Salmai, 2011. "Dynamics in transitory and permanent variation of wages in Germany," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 113(2), pages 143-146.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Variance decomposition; covariance structure models; earnings inequality; wage dynamics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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