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Reasons for Wage Rigidity in Germany

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Author Info
Wolfgang Franz () (ZEW and University of Mannheim)
Friedhelm Pfeiffer () (ZEW, University of Mannheim and IZA Bonn)
Abstract

This study investigates institutional and economic reasons for downward wage rigidity regarding three occupational skill groups. Based on a survey of 801 firms in Germany and an econometric analysis, we find strong support for explanations based on the effects of labour union contracts and efficiency wages that differ between skill groups. Survey respondents indicate that labour union contracts and implicit contracts are important reasons for wage rigidity for the (less) skilled. Specific human capital and negative signals for new hires are causes of the stickiness of wages for the highly skilled. Compared with US evidence, German firms seem to attach more importance to labour union contracts and specific human capital.

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Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 2017.

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Length: 31 pages
Date of creation: Mar 2006
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2017

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Postal: IZA, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany
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Related research
Keywords: wage rigidity; labour union contracts; efficiency wage theory; implicit contract theory; regulation of labour;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts
J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
K31 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Labor Law

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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    Other versions:
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    Other versions:
  7. Blau, Francine D. & Kahn, Lawrence M., 1999. "Institutions and laws in the labor market," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 25, pages 1399-1461 Elsevier. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  16. Christoph Knoppik & Thomas Beissinger, 2003. "How Rigid are Nominal Wages? Evidence and Implications for Germany," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 105(4), pages 619-641, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  17. Bewley, Truman F, 1995. "A Depressed Labor Market as Explained by Participants," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 85(2), pages 250-54, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Wolf Dieter Heinbach, 2006. "Bargained Wages in Decentralized Wage-Setting Regimes," Diskussionspapiere aus dem Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Hohenheim 276/2005, Department of Economics, University of Hohenheim, Germany. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Erkki Koskela & Ronnie Schöb, 2009. "A note on internal and external reference in efficiency wage models," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 96(1), pages 79-86, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Gernandt, Johannes & Pfeiffer, Friedhelm, 2006. "Rising Wage Inequality in Germany," ZEW Discussion Papers 06-19 [rev.], ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Jan Babecky & Kamil Dybczak & Kamil Galuscak, 2008. "Survey on Wage and Price Formation of Czech Firms," Working Papers 2008/12, Czech National Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  5. Philip Du Caju & Catherine Fuss & Ladislav Wintr, 2009. "Understanding sectoral differences in downward real wage rigidity - workforce composition, institutions, technology and competition," Working Paper Series 1006, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Wolf Dieter Heinbach & Stefanie Schröpfer, 2007. "Typisierung der Tarifvertragslandschaft. Eine Clusteranalyse der tarifvertraglichen Öffnungsklauseln (Identifying Types of Flexible Bargaining Agreements Using Cluster Analysis)," Diskussionspapiere aus dem Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Hohenheim 286/2007, Department of Economics, University of Hohenheim, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  7. Marcus Cobb & Luis Opazo, 2008. "Microeconomic Evidence of Nominal Wage Rigidity in Chile," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 496, Central Bank of Chile. [Downloadable!]
  8. Gebel, Michael & Pfeiffer, Friedhelm, 2007. "Educational expansion and its heterogeneous returns for wage workers," ZEW Discussion Papers 07-010, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  9. Wolf Dieter Heinbach & Stefanie Schröpfer, 2007. "Typisierung der Tarifvertragslandschaft. Eine Clusteranalyse der tarifvertraglichen Öffnungsklauseln," IAW Discussion Papers 28, Institut für Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung (IAW). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  10. Wolf Heinbach, 2007. "Wages in wage-setting regimes with opening clauses," AStA Wirtschafts- und Sozialstatistisches Archiv, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 233-245, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Jirjahn, Uwe & Kraft, Kornelius, 2008. "Teamwork and Intra-Firm Wage Dispersion among Blue-Collar Workers," IZA Discussion Papers 3291, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  12. Radowski, Daniel & Bonin, Holger, 2008. "Sectoral differences in wage freezes and wage cuts: evidence from a new firm survey," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2008,24, Deutsche Bundesbank, Research Centre. [Downloadable!]
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