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Would Outsourcing Increase or Decrease Wage Inequality? Two Models, Two Answers

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Listed:
  • Wenli Cheng
  • Dingsheng Zhang

Abstract

This paper develops two models to study the impact of outsourcing on wage inequality between skilled and unskilled labor in the developed country and the developing country. The first model assumes symmetric production technologies in both countries, and predicts that outsourcing will increase wage inequality in the developed country, but decrease wage inequality in the developing country. The second model assumes asymmetric technologies in the production of the intermediate good and predicts that outsourcing can lead to an increase in wage inequality in both the developed country and the developing country.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenli Cheng & Dingsheng Zhang, 2005. "Would Outsourcing Increase or Decrease Wage Inequality? Two Models, Two Answers," Monash Economics Working Papers 20/05, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mos:moswps:2005-20
    as

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    File URL: http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/eco/research/papers/2005/2005outsourcingandwageinequality.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    4. Donald J. Robbins, 1996. "Evidence on Trade and Wages in the Developing World," OECD Development Centre Working Papers 119, OECD Publishing.
    5. Wood, Adrian, 1997. "Openness and Wage Inequality in Developing Countries: The Latin American Challenge to East Asian Conventional Wisdom," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 11(1), pages 33-57, January.
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    8. Beaulieu, Eugene & Benarroch, Michael & Gaisford, James, 2004. "Trade barriers and wage inequality in a North-South model with technology-driven intra-industry trade," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 113-136, October.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    wage inequality; endogenous outsourcing;

    JEL classification:

    • F19 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Other

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