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Wage Rigidity and Disinflation in Emerging Countries

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  • Juli?n Messina
  • Anna Sanz-de-Galdeano

Abstract

We present evidence on the frequency of nominal wage adjustment using SIPP data adjusted for measurement error. The SIPP is a representative sample of the US population. Our main results are: (i) The average quarterly probability of a nominal wage change is between 21.1 and 26.6 percent, depending on the assumptions used. (ii) Wage changes are much more likely when workers change jobs. (iii) The frequency of wage adjustment does not display significant seasonal patterns. (iv) The hazard of a nominal wage change first increases and then decreases, with a peak at 12 months.

Suggested Citation

  • Juli?n Messina & Anna Sanz-de-Galdeano, 2014. "Wage Rigidity and Disinflation in Emerging Countries," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(1), pages 102-133, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmac:v:6:y:2014:i:1:p:102-33
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/mac.6.1.102
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    2. Laura Juarez & Daniel Casarin de la Cabada, 2018. "Downward Wage Rigidities in the Mexican Labor Market: 1996–2011," Economía Journal, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - LACEA, vol. 0(Fall 2018), pages 129-180, November.
    3. Anete Pajuste & Hernán Ruffo, 2017. "Wage rigidity and workers’ flows during recessions," SSE Riga/BICEPS Research Papers 4, Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studies (BICEPS);Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga).
    4. Gomez Ospina, Monica A., 2023. "Optimal monetary policy in developing countries: The role of informality," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    5. Antonia López-Villavicencio & Sophie Saglio, 2017. "The Wage Inflation-Unemployment Curve at the Macroeconomic Level," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 79(1), pages 55-78, February.
    6. Juli?n Messina & Anna Sanz-de-Galdeano, 2014. "Wage Rigidity and Disinflation in Emerging Countries," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(1), pages 102-133, January.
    7. Johannes Matschke & Jun Nie, 2022. "Downward Wage Rigidities and Recession Dynamics in Advanced and Emerging Economies," Research Working Paper RWP 22-10, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
    8. Agudelo, Sonia A. & Sala, Hector, 2017. "Wage Rigidities in Colombia: Measurement, Causes, and Policy Implications," IZA Discussion Papers 10669, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Dias, Daniel A. & Marques, Carlos Robalo & Martins, Fernando, 2013. "Wage rigidity and employment adjustment at the firm level: Evidence from survey data," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 40-49.
    10. Luca Gambetti & Julián Messina, 2018. "Evolving Wage Cyclicality in Latin America," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank Group, vol. 32(3), pages 709-726.
    11. D. Lederman & W.F. Maloney & J. Messina, 2011. "The Fall of Wage Flexibility," World Bank Publications - Reports 23575, The World Bank Group.
    12. De Schryder, Selien & Peersman, Gert & Wauters, Joris, 2020. "Wage indexation and the monetary policy regime," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    13. Carlos Robalo Marques & Fernando Martins & Daniel Dias, 2012. "Labour cost-cutting strategies microeconomic evidence from survey data," Economic Bulletin and Financial Stability Report Articles and Banco de Portugal Economic Studies, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • 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
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O23 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Development

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