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Higher wages and capital intensity: a closer look

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Author Info
Matti Viren () (Department of Economics, University of Turku)
Abstract

This paper focuses on the relationship between higher wages and capital intensity. The relationship itself is by no means a novel finding but we try to provide a meaningful theoretical explanation for the relationship and empirical evidence on its exact nature. Our explanation is the outcome of the wage bargaining process in the case of capital-intensive companies. They are more vulnerable to strike threat than companies that have a small capital stock and thus they may more easily give in for union wage demand. In other words, the bargaining power of unions is related to the capital-labor ratio. This paper provides some tests for these hypotheses with an extensive panel data for Finnish unincorporated enterprises and companies. The results show the relationship between higher wages and capital intensity and very strong and it applies to all sorts of companies and, finally, and it is consistent with the wage bargaining hypothesis.

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File URL: http://www.ace-economics.fi/kuvat/ACE13%20Viren%20valmis.pdf
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Paper provided by Aboa Centre for Economics in its series Discussion Papers with number 13.

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Length: 21
Date of creation: Dec 2006
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Handle: RePEc:tkk:dpaper:dp13

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Related research
Keywords: wages; bargaining; wage distribution; panel data;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects

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  1. Miller, Paul & Mulvey, Charles, 1996. "Unions, Firm Size and Wages," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 72(217), pages 138-53, June.
  2. Devereux, Michael B. & Lockwood, Ben, 1991. "Trade unions, non-binding wage agreements, and capital accumulation," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1411-1426, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Per Krusell & Lee E. Ohanian & Jose-Victor Rios-Rull & Giovanni L. Violante, 1997. "Capital-skill complementarity and inequality: a macroeconomic analysis," Staff Report 239, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. [Downloadable!]
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  4. Graziella Bertocchi, 2003. "Labor Market Institutions, International Capital Mobility, and the Persistence of Underdevelopment," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 6(3), pages 637-650, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Surendra Gera & Gilles Grenier, 1994. "Interindustry Wage Differentials and Efficiency Wages: Some Canadian Evidence," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 27(1), pages 81-100, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Chris Papageorgiou & John Duffy & Fidel Perez-Sebastian, . "Capital-Skill complementarity? Evidence from a Panel of Countries," Departmental Working Papers 2003-12, Department of Economics, Louisiana State University. [Downloadable!]
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  7. John M. Abowd & Francis Kramarz & David N. Margolis, 1999. "High Wage Workers and High Wage Firms," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 67(2), pages 251-334, March.
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  8. Konings, Jozef & Walsh, Patrick P, 1994. "Evidence of Efficiency Wage Payments in UK Firm Level Panel Data," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 104(424), pages 542-55, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  9. repec:bep:maccon:v:3:y:2003:i:1:p:1103-1103 is not listed on IDEAS
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  10. Burdett, Kenneth & Mortensen, Dale T, 1998. "Wage Differentials, Employer Size, and Unemployment," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 39(2), pages 257-73, May.
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