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The role of Institutions in explaining wage determination in the Euro Area: a panel cointegration approach

Author

Listed:
  • Mariam Camarero

    (Department of Economics, University Jaume I. Campus de Riu Sec E-12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain)

  • Gaetano D’Adamo

    (Department of Applied Economics II, University of Valencia. Av.da dels Tarongers s/n 46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Cecilio Tamarit

    (Department of Applied Economics II, University of Valencia. Av.da dels Tarongers s/n 46022 Valencia, Spain)

Abstract

Over the last 15 years, the evolution of labor costs has been very diverse across EMU countries. Since wages have important second-round effects on prices and competitiveness, and EMU countries do not have the tool of the nominal exchange rate to correct for such imbalances, understanding the determinants of the wage is a matter of increasing concern and debate. We estimate the equilibrium wage equation for the Euro Area over the period 1995-2011 using panel cointegration techniques that allow for cross-section dependence and structural breaks. The results show that the equilibrium wage has a positive relation with productivity and negative relation with unemployment, as expected. We also include institutional variables in our analysis, showing that a more flexible labor market is consistent with long-run wage moderation. Allowing for a regime break, we find that, since 2004, possibly due to increased international competition, wage determination was more strictly related to productivity, and real wage appreciation triggers a drop in the real wage. Furthermore, results point to a wage-moderating role of government intervention and concertation in wage bargaining.

Suggested Citation

  • Mariam Camarero & Gaetano D’Adamo & Cecilio Tamarit, 2014. "The role of Institutions in explaining wage determination in the Euro Area: a panel cointegration approach," Working Papers 1407, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    • Handle: RePEc:eec:wpaper:1407
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Robert Anderton & Arno Hantzsche & Simon Savsek & Máté Tóth, 2017. "Sectoral Wage Rigidities and Labour and Product Market Institutions in the Euro Area," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 28(5), pages 923-965, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    panel cointegration; wage setting; labor market;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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