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Augmenting the Human Capital Earnings Equation with Measures of Where People Work

In: Firms and the Distribution of Income: The Roles of Productivity and Luck

Author

Listed:
  • Erling Barth
  • James Davis
  • Richard B. Freeman

Abstract

We augment standard ln earnings equations with variables reflecting unmeasured attributes of workers and measured and unmeasured attributes of their employer. Using panel employee-establishment data for US manufacturing we find that the observable employer characteristics that most impact earnings are: number of workers, education of co-workers, capital equipment per worker, industry in which the establishment produces, and R&D intensity of the firm. Employer fixed effects also contribute to the variance of ln earnings, though substantially less than individual fixed effects. In addition to accounting for some of the variance in earnings, the observed and unobserved measures of employers mediate the estimated effects of individual characteristics on earnings and increasing earnings inequality through the sorting of workers among establishments.
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Suggested Citation

  • Erling Barth & James Davis & Richard B. Freeman, 2015. "Augmenting the Human Capital Earnings Equation with Measures of Where People Work," NBER Chapters,in: Firms and the Distribution of Income: The Roles of Productivity and Luck National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberch:13716
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lucia Foster & Cheryl Grim & John Haltiwanger, 2016. "Reallocation in the Great Recession: Cleansing or Not?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(S1), pages 293-331.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Knutsson, Polina, 2018. "Sorting on Unobserved Skills into New Firms," Working Papers 2018:38, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    2. Giuseppe Berlingieri & Sara Calligaris & Chiara Criscuolo, 2018. "The productivity-wage premium: Does size still matter in a service economy?," OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 2018/13, OECD Publishing.
    3. repec:nbr:nberch:13892 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. John Haltiwanger & Henry Hyatt & Erika McEntarfer, 2018. "Who Moves Up the Job Ladder?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(S1), pages 301-336.
      • John Haltiwanger & Henry Hyatt & Erika McEntarfer, 2015. "Who Moves Up the Job Ladder?," NBER Chapters,in: Firms and the Distribution of Income: The Roles of Productivity and Luck National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Giuseppe Berlingieri & Sara Calligaris & Chiara Criscuolo, 2018. "The productivity-wage premium: Does size still matter in a service economy?," OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 2018/13, OECD Publishing.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J0 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
    • J40 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - General

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