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Empirical Tests of Efficiency Wage Models

Author

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  • Huang, Tzu-Ling
  • Hallam, Arne
  • Orazem, Peter
  • Paterno, Elizabeth M.

Abstract

Two-digit manufacturing industry-level production functions are used to test efficiency wage propositions. Conclusive tests require functional forms which allow differences in elasticities of substitution between observable human capital, wage premia and other inputs. Results demonstrate that unexplained industry wage premia and higher unemployment rates raise productivity. Wage premia and the human capital wage component cannot be aggregated into a single human capital index. Nevertheless, 88% of the productivity effect associated with industry wages can be tied to observable human capital in the industry, with only 12% associated with the wage premium.

Suggested Citation

  • Huang, Tzu-Ling & Hallam, Arne & Orazem, Peter & Paterno, Elizabeth M., 1998. "Empirical Tests of Efficiency Wage Models," Staff General Research Papers Archive 1325, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:isu:genres:1325
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    2. Måns Söderbom & Francis Teal & Anthony Wambugu, 2002. "Does firm size really affect earnings?," CSAE Working Paper Series 2002-08, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    3. Syed Kanwar Abbas & Asad Zaman, 2005. "Efficiency Wage Hypothesis—The Case of Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 44(4), pages 1051-1066.
    4. James Heintz, 2011. "Global Labor Standards: Their Impact and Implementation," Chapters, in: Jonathan Michie (ed.), The Handbook of Globalisation, Second Edition, chapter 13, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Pablo Villar Vileikis, 2013. "Formalización: Motor de cambio estructural positivo. El caso colombiano entre 2002 y 2011," Documentos CEDE 11467, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    6. Tomás Gómez Rodríguez & Humberto Ríos Bolívar & Ali Aali Bujari, 2018. "Salario eficiente y crecimiento económico para el caso de América Latina. (Efficient wages and Economic Growth in Latin America)," Ensayos Revista de Economia, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Facultad de Economia, vol. 0(2), pages 213-235, October.
    7. Margarita Katsimi, 2008. "Training, Job Security And Incentive Wages," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 55(1), pages 67-78, February.
    8. Fallahi, Firouz & Sakineh, Sojoodi & Mehin Aslaninia, Nasim, 2010. "Determinants of Labor Productivity in Iran’s Manufacturing Firms: With Emphasis on Labor Education and Training," MPRA Paper 27447, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Mose, Jared Isaboke, 2017. "Drivers of Labour Productivity in Flower Farms in Naivasha, Kenya," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 6(4), November.
    10. K Clark & M Tomlinson, 2001. "The Determinants of Work Effort: Evidence from the Employment in Britain Survey," Economics Discussion Paper Series 0113, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    11. Carter, Thomas J., 2005. "Money and efficiency wages: the neglected effect of employment on efficiency," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 199-209, March.
    12. Francis Teal & Måns Söderbom, 2002. "Does firm size really affect earnings?," Economics Series Working Papers WPS/2002-08, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    13. Ahmad Jafari Samimi, 2011. "Efficiency Wage Hypothesis: The Case Study of Iran's Manufacturing Industries," Journal of Social and Development Sciences, AMH International, vol. 1(5), pages 157-164.
    14. Carlos Alberto Belchior Doria Carneiro & Geovana Lorena Bertussi, 2018. "Outsourcing And Efficiency Wages: The Case Of Brazil," Anais do XLIV Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 44th Brazilian Economics Meeting] 233, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].

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