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How wages change : micro evidence from the International Wage Flexibility Project

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Author Info
William T. Dickens () (The Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.)
Lorenz Goette () (University of Zurich)
Erica L. Groshen () (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn)
Steinar Holden () (University of Oslo, Research Fellow, Center for Economic Studies--Information and Forschung Institute (CESifo), Munich)
Julian Messina () (European Central Bank, Universitat de Girona, Italy)
Mark E. Schweitzer () (Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Ohio)
Jarkko Turunen () (European Central Bank)
Melanie E. Ward () (European Central Bank, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn)

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Abstract

How do the complex institutions involved in wage setting affect wage changes? The International Wage Flexibility Project provides new microeconomic evidence on how wages change for continuing workers. We analyze individuals’ earnings in 31 different data sets from sixteen countries, from which we obtain a total of 360 wage change distributions. We find a remarkable amount of variation in wage changes across workers. Wage changes have a notably non-normal distribution; they are tightly clustered around the median and also have many extreme values. Furthermore, nearly all countries show asymmetry in their wage distributions below the median. Indeed, we find evidence of both downward nominal and real wage rigidities. We also find that the extent of both these rigidities varies substantially across countries. Our results suggest that variations in the extent of union presence in wage bargaining play a role in explaining differing degrees of rigidities among countries

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Paper provided by National Bank of Belgium in its series Research series with number 200610-8.

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Length: 34 pages
Date of creation: Oct 2006
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Handle: RePEc:nbb:reswpp:200610-8

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Related research
Keywords: Wage setting; Wage change distributions; Downward nominal wage rigidity; Downward real wage rigidity;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
E3 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles
J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
J5 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining

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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. Stephen Nickell & Glenda Quintini, 2003. "Nominal wage rigidity and the rate of inflation," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(490), pages 762-781, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Diego Rodriguez Palenzuela & Gonzalo Camba-Mendez & Juan Angel Garcia, 2003. "Relevant economic issues concerning the optimal rate of inflation," Working Paper Series 278, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
  3. Steinar Holden, 2004. "Wage Formation under Low Inflation," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. William T. Dickens & Lorenz Goette & Erica L. Groshen & Steinar Holden & Julian Messina & Mark E. Schweitzer & Jarkko Turunen & Melanie Ward, 2006. "The interaction of labor markets and inflation: analysis of micro data from the International Wage Flexibility Project," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. [Downloadable!]
  5. George A. Akerlof & William R. Dickens & George L. Perry, 1996. "The Macroeconomics of Low Inflation," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 27(1996-1), pages 1-76. [Downloadable!]
  6. Rosen, Sherwin, 1986. "Prizes and Incentives in Elimination Tournaments," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(4), pages 701-15, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. David E. Lebow & Raven E. Saks & Beth Anne Wilson, 2003. "Downward Nominal Wage Rigidity: Evidence from the Employment Cost Index," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, Berkeley Electronic Press, vol. 0(1). [Downloadable!]
  8. Joseph G. Altonji & Paul J. Devereux, 1999. "The Extent and Consequences of Downward Nominal Wage Rigidity," NBER Working Papers 7236, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Daniele Checchi & Claudio Lucifora, 2002. "Unions and labour market institutions in Europe," Economic Policy, CEPR, CES, MSH, vol. 17(35), pages 361-408, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Smith, Jennifer C, 2000. "Nominal Wage Rigidity in the United Kingdom," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(462), pages C176-95, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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