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The productivity-wage premium: Does size still matter in a service economy?

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Listed:
  • Giuseppe Berlingieri

    (OECD)

  • Sara Calligaris

    (OECD)

  • Chiara Criscuolo

    (OECD)

Abstract

The literature has established two robust stylised facts: (i) the existence of a firm size-wage premium; and (ii) a positive relationship between firm size and productivity. However, the existing evidence is mainly based on manufacturing data only. With manufacturing nowadays accounting for a small share of the economy, whether productivity, size, and wages are closely linked, and how tight this link is across sectors, is still an open question. Using a unique micro-aggregated dataset covering the whole economy in 17 countries over 1994-2012, this paper compares these relationships across sectors. While the size-wage and size-productivity premia are significantly weaker in market services compared to manufacturing, the link between wages and productivity is stronger. The combination of these results suggests that, in a service economy the “size-wage premium” becomes more a “productivity-wage premium”. These results have first-order policy implications for both workers and firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuseppe Berlingieri & Sara Calligaris & Chiara Criscuolo, 2018. "The productivity-wage premium: Does size still matter in a service economy?," OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 2018/13, OECD Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:oec:stiaaa:2018/13-en
    DOI: 10.1787/04e36c29-en
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Peneder & Fabian Unterlass, 2024. "Die Produktivitätsentwicklung österreichischer Unternehmen in den Jahren 2013 bis 2020. Eine Auswertung von Mikrodaten," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 97(2), pages 43-56, February.
    2. Cirera, Xavier & Martins-Neto, Antonio Soares, 2023. "Do innovative firms pay higher wages? Micro-level evidence from Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    3. Yoshimichi Murakami, 2021. "Trade liberalization and wage inequality: Evidence from Chile," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(3), pages 407-438, April.
    4. Matej Bajgar & Giuseppe Berlingieri & Sara Calligaris & Chiara Criscuolo & Jonathan Timmis, 2019. "Industry concentration in Europe and North America," CEP Discussion Papers dp1654, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    5. Javier Papa & Luke Rehill & Brendan O'Connor, 2021. "Patterns of Firm-Level Productivity in Ireland," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 52(3), pages 241-268.
    6. Fontanelli, Luca & Guerini, Mattia & Napoletano, Mauro, 2023. "International trade and technological competition in markets with dynamic increasing returns," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    7. Kambayashi, Ryo & Ohyama, Atsushi & Hori, Nobuko, 2021. "Management practices and productivity in Japan: Evidence from six industries in JP MOPS," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    8. Nickel, Christiane & Bobeica, Elena & Koester, Gerrit & Lis, Eliza & Porqueddu, Mario, 2019. "Understanding low wage growth in the euro area and European countries," Occasional Paper Series 232, European Central Bank.
    9. Audra Bowlus & Émilien Gouin‐Bonenfant & Huju Liu & Lance Lochner & Youngmin Park, 2022. "Four decades of Canadian earnings inequality and dynamics across workers and firms," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(4), pages 1447-1491, November.
    10. Peter Bauer & Igor Fedotenkov & Aurelien Genty & Issam Hallak & Peter Harasztosi & David Martinez Turegano & David Nguyen & Nadir Preziosi & Ana Rincon-Aznar & Miguel Sanchez Martinez, 2020. "Productivity in Europe: Trends and drivers in a service-based economy," JRC Research Reports JRC119785, Joint Research Centre.
    11. Criscuolo, Chiara & Andrews, Dan & Gal, Peter N., 2019. "The best versus the rest: divergence across firms during the global productivity slowdown," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103405, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Yu, Jinliang & Qi, Yu, 2022. "BT-to-VAT reform and firm productivity: Evidence from a quasi-experiment in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    13. Timothy DESTEFANO & HANEDA Sho & KWON Hyeog Ug, 2019. "Determinants of Structural Adjustment and Employment Use in Japan: Firm Characteristics, Offshoring and Industrial Robotics," Discussion papers 19067, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    14. Ai Oku & Shun Inoue & Tsubasa Masui, 2020. "Does Firm Size Effect Wages and Labor productivity? -Micro data analysis in case of Japan-," Discussion papers ron320, Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Finance Japan.
    15. Charly Porcher & Hannah Rubinton & Clara Santamaría, 2020. "The Role of Establishment Size in the City-Size Earnings Premium," Working Papers 2020-029, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, revised 29 Nov 2022.
    16. Mattsson, Pontus & Reshid, Abdulaziz, 2023. "Productivity divergence and the role of digitalisation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 942-966.
    17. repec:gdk:wpaper:55 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Matteo Alpino & Irene Di Marzio & Maurizio Lozzi & Vincenzo Mariani, 2022. "Labor market spillovers of a large plan opening. Evidence from the oil industry," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1386, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    19. Garnadt, Niklas & von Rueden, Christina & Thiel, Esther, 2021. "Labour reallocation dynamics in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic and past recessions," Working Papers 08/2021, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung.
    20. Porcher, Charly & Rubinton, Hannah & Santamaría, Clara, 2023. "JUE insight: The role of establishment size in the city-size earnings premium," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Productivity; Size-Premium; Wages;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D2 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations
    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs

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