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Employment and Wage Adjustments at Firms under Distress in Japan: An Analysis Based upon a Survey

In: Sticky Prices and Inflation Dynamics (NBER-TCER-CEPR)

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  • Kenn Ariga
  • Ryo Kambayashi

Abstract

We use the result from a survey of Japanese firms in manufacturing and services to investigate the choice of wage and employment adjustments when they needed to reduce substantially the total labor cost. Our regression analysis indicates that the large size reduction favors the layoffs of core employees, whereas base wage cuts are more likely if firms do not feel immediate pressures from the external labor market or strong competition in the product market. We also find some evidence that the concerns over adverse selection or demoralizing effects of wage cuts are real. Firms do try to avoid using base wage cuts if they consider these factors more important.
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Suggested Citation

  • Kenn Ariga & Ryo Kambayashi, 2010. "Employment and Wage Adjustments at Firms under Distress in Japan: An Analysis Based upon a Survey," NBER Chapters, in: Sticky Prices and Inflation Dynamics (NBER-TCER-CEPR), pages 213-235, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberch:12182
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    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Esteban-Pretel, Julen & Tanaka, Ryuichi & Meng, Xiangcai, 2017. "Changes in Japan’s labor market during the Lost Decade and the role of demographics," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 19-37.
    2. Ayako Kondo, 2016. "Effects of increased elderly employment on other workers’ employment and elderly’s earnings in Japan," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-23, December.
    3. Hijzen, Alexander & Kambayashi, Ryo & Teruyama, Hiroshi & Genda, Yuji, 2015. "The Japanese labour market during the global financial crisis and the role of non-standard work: A micro perspective," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 260-281.
    4. Okamoto, Hisashi & Matsuura, Tsukasa, 2015. "The Influence of Corporate Governance on Long-term Employment:A Study Using Data on Japanese Listed Firms," MPRA Paper 64561, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Sebastien Lechevalier & Cyrille Dossougoin & Christophe Hurlin & Satoko Takaoka, 2014. "How did the Japanese Employment System Change?Investigating the Heterogeneity of Downsizing Practices across Firms," KIER Working Papers 883, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
    6. Jeremi Montornes & Jacques-Bernard Sauner-Leroy, 2015. "Wage-setting Behavior in France: Additional Evidence from an Ad-hoc Survey," Journal of Banking and Financial Economics, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Management, vol. 1(3), pages 5-23, May.
    7. LIU Yang, 2017. "Effects of Wages and Job Productivity on Job Creation and Destruction: Evidence from Japanese division-level employment data," Discussion papers 17060, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    8. Sachiko Kuroda & Isamu Yamamoto, 2014. "Is Downward Wage Flexibility the Primary Factor of Japan's Prolonged Deflation?," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 9(1), pages 143-158, January.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General

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