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Globalization and Wage Polarization

Author

Listed:
  • Guido Cozzi

    (University of St. Gallen)

  • Giammario Impullitti

    (University of Nottingham)

Abstract

In the 1980s and 1990s, the U.S. labor market experienced a remarkable polarization along with fast technological catch-up as Europe and Japan improved their global innovation performance. Is foreign technological convergence an important source of wage polarization? To answer this question, we build a multicountry Schumpeterian growth model with heterogeneous workers, endogenous skill formation, and occupational choice. We show that convergence produces polarization through business stealing and increasing competition in global innovation races. Quantitative analysis shows that these channels can be important sources of U.S. polarization. Moreover, the model delivers predictions on the U.S. wealth-income ratio consistent with empirical evidence.

Suggested Citation

  • Guido Cozzi & Giammario Impullitti, 2016. "Globalization and Wage Polarization," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 98(5), pages 984-1000, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:98:y:2016:i:5:p:984-1000
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Hung-Ju, 2019. "Innovation and FDI: Does the Target of Intellectual Property Rights Matter?," MPRA Paper 94692, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Giordani, Paolo E. & Mariani, Fabio, 2022. "Unintended consequences: Can the rise of the educated class explain the revival of protectionism?," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    3. Giammario Impullitti, 2016. "Global Innovation Races, Offshoring and Wage Inequality," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(1), pages 171-202, February.
    4. Krenz, Astrid & Prettner, Klaus & Strulik, Holger, 2021. "Robots, reshoring, and the lot of low-skilled workers," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    5. Krenz, Astrid & Strulik, Holger, 2025. "Automation and the fall and rise of the servant economy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    6. Bhattacharya, Sourav & Chakraborty, Pavel & Chatterjee, Chirantan, 2022. "Intellectual property regimes and wage inequality," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    7. Diego A. Comin & Ana Danieli & Martí Mestieri, 2020. "Income-driven Labor Market Polarization," NBER Working Papers 27455, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Antonelli, Cristiano & Tubiana, Matteo, 2023. "The rate and direction of technological change and wealth and income inequalities in advanced countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    9. Gagliardi, Luisa, 2019. "The impact of foreign technological innovation on domestic employment via the industry mix," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(6), pages 1523-1533.
    10. Cavaglia, Chiara & Etheridge, Ben, 2020. "Job polarization and the declining quality of knowledge workers: Evidence from the UK and Germany," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    11. Cozzi, Guido & Mantovan, Noemi, 2021. "To get Rich is Glorious, but only if Fairly," MPRA Paper 107305, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Cristiano, Antonelli, 2019. "The creative response and international trade11The comments of the anonymous referees and the editor are gratefully acknowledged. The funding of my Department are acknowledged," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 445-452.
    13. Chen, Hung-Ju, 2021. "Innovation and FDI: Does the target of intellectual property rights protection matter?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    14. Hung‐Ju Chen, 2018. "Innovation, FDI, and the long‐run effects of monetary policy," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(5), pages 1101-1129, November.
    15. Cavaglia, Chiara & Etheridge, Ben, 2020. "Job polarization and the declining quality of knowledge workers: evidence from the UK and Germany," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 105819, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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