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International Fragmentation and Relative Wages in the UK

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Author Info
Hijzen, Alexander (University of Nottingham)
Görg, Holger () (University of Nottingham and IZA Bonn)
Hine, Robert C. (University of Nottingham)

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Abstract

This paper re-examines the trade-based explanation of increased wage inequality in developed countries by focusing on international outsourcing. It is the first detailed study to address the effects of outsourcing on labour markets in the UK. In a recent paper, Feenstra and Hanson (1996) estimate the effect of international outsourcing on wage inequality in the US. This paper extends the FH approach by using more detailed definitions of outsourcing and skill. The analysis applies to UK manufacturing over the period 1982-1997. Extending the analysis to the 1990s is considered to be crucial as outsourcing is predominantly a phenomenon of the 1990s. The econometric results suggest that technical change, import penetration and outsourcing all play an important role in explaining UK wage inequality. Outsourcing may account for about half of the increase in domestic wage inequality.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 717.

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Length: 26 pages
Date of creation: Feb 2003
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp717

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Related research
Keywords: fragmentation; outsourcing; trade; wages; skill-biased technological change;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Country and Industry Studies of Trade
J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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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.:
  1. Feenstra, R.C. & Hanson, G.H., 1995. "Foreign Investment, Outsourcing and Relative Wages," Department of Economics 95-14, California Davis - Department of Economics.
    Other versions:
  2. R. E. Baldwin & G. G. Cain, . "Shifts in U.S. Relative Wages: The Role of Trade, Technology, and Factor Endowments," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1132-97, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty. [Downloadable!]
  3. Robert C. Feenstra, . "Integration Of Trade And Disintegration Of Production In The Global Economy," Department of Economics 98-06, California Davis - Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Egger, Hartmut & Egger, Peter, 2001. "Cross-border sourcing and outward processing in EU manufacturing," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 243-256, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Salvatore Baldone & Fabio Sdogati & Lucia Tajoli, 2001. "Patterns and determinants of international fragmentation of production: Evidence from outward processing trade between the EU and Central Eastern European countries," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 80-104, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Kohler, Wilhelm, 2001. "A specific-factors view on outsourcing," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 31-53, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Hijzen, Alexander, 2003. "Fragmentation, Productivity and Relative Wages in the UK: A General Equilibrium Approach," Royal Economic Society Annual Conference 2003 108, Royal Economic Society. [Downloadable!]
  8. Robert E. Baldwin & Glen G. Cain, 2000. "Shifts In Relative U.S. Wages: The Role Of Trade, Technology, And Factor Endowments," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 82(4), pages 580-595, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Arndt, Sven W., 1997. "Globalization and the open economy," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 71-79. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Ng, Francis & Yeats, Alexander, 1999. "Production sharing in East Asia : who does what for whom, and why?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2197, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  11. Robert C. Feenstra & Gordon H. Hanson, 1996. "Globalization, Outsourcing, and Wage Inequality," NBER Working Papers 5424, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  12. Berman, Eli & Bound, John & Griliches, Zvi, 1994. "Changes in the Demand for Skilled Labor within U.S. Manufacturing: Evidence from the Annual Survey of Manufactures," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 109(2), pages 367-97, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Haskel, Jonathan & Heden, Ylva, 1999. "Computers and the Demand for Skilled Labour: Industry- and Establishment-Level Panel Evidence for the UK," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 109(454), pages C68-79, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  14. David H. Autor & Lawrence F. Katz & Alan B. Krueger, 1998. "Computing Inequality: Have Computers Changed The Labor Market?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 113(4), pages 1169-1213, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  15. Matthew J. Slaughter, 1999. "Globalisation and Wages: A Tale of Two Perspectives," The World Economy, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 22(5), pages 609-629, 07. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  16. Haskel, Jonathan, 2000. "The Trade and Labour Approaches to Wage Inequality," CEPR Discussion Papers 2476, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  17. Griliches, Zvi & Hausman, Jerry A., 1986. "Errors in variables in panel data," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 93-118, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  18. Anderton, Bob & Brenton, Paul, 1999. "Outsourcing and Low-Skilled Workers in the UK," Bulletin of Economic Research, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 51(4), pages 267-85, October.
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  19. Haskel, Jonathan & Slaughter, Matthew J, 2001. "Trade, Technology and U.K. Wage Inequality," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 111(468), pages 163-87, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  20. Jose Campa & Linda S. Goldberg, 1997. "The Evolving External Orientation of Manufacturing Industries: Evidence from Four Countries," NBER Working Papers 5919, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  21. Machin, S. & Van Reenen, J., 1997. "Technology and Changes in Skill Structure: Evidence from Seven OECD Countries," Papers 24, Centre for Economic Performance & Institute of Economics.
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  22. Holger Görg, 2000. "Fragmentation and trade: US inward processing trade in the EU," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer, vol. 136(3), pages 403-422, 09. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  23. Hummels, David & Ishii, Jun & Yi, Kei-Mu, 2001. "The nature and growth of vertical specialization in world trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 75-96, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  24. Krugman, Paul R., 2000. "Technology, trade and factor prices," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 51-71, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  25. Lucy Chennells & John Van Reenen, 1999. "Has technology hurt less skilled workers? A survey of the micro-econometric evidence," IFS Working Papers W99/27, Institute for Fiscal Studies. [Downloadable!]
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. R. Antonietti & D. Antonioli, 2007. "Production offshoring and the skill composition of Italian manufacturing firms A quasi-experimental analysis," Working Papers 594, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Rodolfo Helg & Lucia Tajoli, 2002. "Patterns of International Fragmentation of Production and Implications for the Labor Markets," Working Papers 503, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Erkki Koskela & Rune Stenbacka, 2007. "Equilibrium Unemployment with Outsourcing and Wage Solidarity under Labour Market Imperfections," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
  4. Sourafel Girma & Holger Görg, 2003. "Outsourcing, Foreign Ownership and Productivity: Evidence from UK Establishment Level Data," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 361, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Hartmut Egger & Udo Kreickemeier, 2005. "International Fragmentation: Boon or Bane for Domestic Employment?," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Kyoji Fukao & Keiko Ito, 2003. "Physical and Human Capital Deepening and New Trade Patterns in Japan," Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series d03-03, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Alexander Hijzen, 2004. "Trade in Intermediates and the Rise in Wage Inequality in the UK: A GNP Function Approach," Econometric Society 2004 North American Summer Meetings 224, Econometric Society. [Downloadable!]
  8. Carmen Díaz Mora & Rosario Gandoy Juste, . "Estrategias de fragmentación de la producción: Una realidad en la industria española?," Studies on the Spanish Economy 180, FEDEA. [Downloadable!]
  9. Mary Amiti & Shang-Jin Wei, 2004. "Fear of Service Outsourcing: Is It Justified?," NBER Working Papers 10808, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Erkki Koskela & Rune Stenbacka, 2007. "Equilibrium Unemployment with Outsourcing and Wage Solidarity Under Labour Market Imperfections," IZA Discussion Papers 2733, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  11. Keiko Ito & Kyoji Fukao, 2003. "Vertical Intra-Industry Trade and the Division of Labor in East Asia," Discussion Paper Series a444, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University. [Downloadable!]
  12. Rodolfo Helg, 2005. "Patterns of international fragmentation of production and the relative demand for labor," LIUC Papers in Economics 167, Cattaneo University (LIUC). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  13. Nicholas C. S. Sim, 2004. "International production sharing and economic development: moving up the value-chain for a small-open economy," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 11(14), pages 885-889, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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