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Are your labor shares set in Beijing? The view through the lens of global value chains

Author

Listed:
  • Reshef, Ariell
  • Santoni, Gianluca

Abstract

We study the evolution of labor shares in 1995–2014, while taking into account international trade based on value added concepts. Declines in labor shares accelerate in 2001–2007, concurrently with global value chain (GVC) participation, after which there is no trend for both. We develop a gravity-based instrument for GVC participation and find that the acceleration in the decline in labor shares is caused by increased intensity of forward GVC participation. The insertion of China into GVCs has a disproportionally large effect through this mechanism. Declines in labor shares are shouldered mostly by less skilled workers in fabrication functions. Relatively capital abundant countries participate more in forward GVCs linkages, which is associated with greater upstreamness within GVCs and increases in capital intensity. Forward GVC participation is associated with international vertical integration of both upstream intermediate input production and of offshoring of downstream assembly.

Suggested Citation

  • Reshef, Ariell & Santoni, Gianluca, 2023. "Are your labor shares set in Beijing? The view through the lens of global value chains," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:155:y:2023:i:c:s0014292123000880
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2023.104459
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    Cited by:

    1. Fontagné, Lionel & Santoni, Gianluca, 2021. "GVCs and the endogenous geography of RTAs," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    2. Lionel Fontagné & Ariell Reshef & Gianluca Santoni & Giulio Vannelli, 2024. "Automation, global value chains and functional specialization," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 662-691, May.
    3. Panon, Ludovic, 2022. "Labor share, foreign demand and superstar exporters," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    4. d’Albis, Hippolyte & Boubtane, Ekrame & Coulibaly, Dramane, 2021. "Demographic changes and the labor income share," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    5. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/5j3i17uo7399t940lrt6h6n545 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/5j3i17uo7399t940lrt6h6n545 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Federico Riccio & Lorenzo Cresti & Maria Enrica Virgillito, 2025. "The labour share along global value chains: perspectives and evidence from sectoral interdependence," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 161(2), pages 635-684, May.
    8. Andrea Coveri & Elena Paglialunga & Antonello Zanfei, 2023. "Global value chains, functional diversification and within-country inequality: an empirical assessment," Working Papers 2302, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Economics, Society & Politics - Scientific Committee - L. Stefanini & G. Travaglini, revised 2023.
    9. Bellocchi, Alessandro & Saraceno, Francesco & Travaglini, Giuseppe, 2025. "Closing the productivity–wage gap in the European Union: The role of the labor share," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 689-702.
    10. Guschanski, Alexander & Onaran, Özlem, 2021. "The effect of global value chain participation on the labour share – Industry level evidence from emerging economies," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 31973, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.
    11. Federico Riccio & Giovanni Dosi & Maria Enrica Virgillito, 2023. "Smile without a reason why: functional specialisation and income distribution along global value chains," LEM Papers Series 2023/31, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    12. Yang, Yichen & Liu, Wen, 2024. "Free trade agreements and domestic value added in exports: An analysis from the network perspective," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    13. González-Rozada, Martín & Ruffo, Hernán, 2024. "Do trade agreements contribute to the decline in labor share? Evidence from Latin American countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    14. Luna,Luis Aguilar & Winkler, Deborah Elisabeth, 2024. "Linking Export Activities to Productivity and Wage Rate Growth," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10737, The World Bank.
    15. Anatolijs Prohorovs & Julija Bistrova, 2022. "Labour Share Convergence in the European Union," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-21, August.
    16. Germán Gutiérrez & Sophie Piton, 2020. "Revisiting the Global Decline of the (Non-housing) Labor Share," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 2(3), pages 321-338, September.
    17. Coveri, Andrea & Paglialunga, Elena & Zanfei, Antonello, 2024. "Global value chains and within-country inequality: The role of functional positioning," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 382-397.
    18. Simola, Heli, 2021. "The impact of Covid-19 on global value chains," BOFIT Policy Briefs 2/2021, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    19. Pol Antràs & Davin Chor, 2021. "Global Value Chains," NBER Working Papers 28549, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E25 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Aggregate Factor Income Distribution
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • F66 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Labor
    • J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General

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