IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/cen/wpaper/06-06.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Is There Really an Export Wage Premium? A Case Study of Los Angeles Using Matched Employee-Employer Data

Author

Listed:
  • Sébastien Breau
  • David L. Rigby

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of exporting on wages, specifically the claim that workers are paid higher wages if they are employed in manufacturing plants that export vis-à-vis plants that do not export. Past research on US plants has supported the existence of an export wage premium, though European studies dispute those results calling for more care in econometric investigation to control for worker characteristics. We answer this call developing a matched employee-employer data set linking worker characteristics from the one-in-six long form of the Decennial Household Census to manufacturing establishment data from the Longitudinal Research Database. Analysis focuses on 1990 and 2000 data for the Los Angeles Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area. Our results confirm that the average wage in manufacturing plants that export is greater than that in manufacturing plants that do not export. However, after controlling for worker characteristics such as age, gender, education, race and nationality, the export wage premium vanishes. That is, when comparing workers with similar characteristics, there is no wage difference between exporting and non-exporting plants. These results concord with recent findings from Europe and elsewhere.

Suggested Citation

  • Sébastien Breau & David L. Rigby, 2006. "Is There Really an Export Wage Premium? A Case Study of Los Angeles Using Matched Employee-Employer Data," Working Papers 06-06, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    • Handle: RePEc:cen:wpaper:06-06
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www2.census.gov/ces/wp/2006/CES-WP-06-06.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2006
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. A. Isgut, 2001. "What's Different about Exporters? Evidence from Colombian Manufacturing," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(5), pages 57-82.
    2. Andrew Bernard & Joachim Wagner, 1997. "Exports and success in German manufacturing," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 133(1), pages 134-157, March.
    3. Heyman, Fredrik & Sjoholm, Fredrik & Tingvall, Patrik Gustavsson, 2007. "Is there really a foreign ownership wage premium? Evidence from matched employer-employee data," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 355-376, November.
    4. Kenneth R. Troske, 1998. "The Worker-Establishment Characteristics Database," NBER Chapters, in: Labor Statistics Measurement Issues, pages 371-404, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Chin Hee Hahn, 2004. "Exporting and Performance of Plants: Evidence from Korean Manufacturing," NBER Working Papers 10208, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. John Haltiwanger & Marilyn E. Manser & Robert Topel, 1998. "Labor Statistics Measurement Issues," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number halt98-1, July.
    7. Wagner, Joachim & Schnabel, Claus & Schank, Thorsten, 2004. "Exporting firms do not pay higher wages, ceteris paribus : First evidence from linked employer-employee data," Discussion Papers 27, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.
    8. John J. Abowd & John Haltiwanger & Julia Lane, 2004. "Integrated Longitudinal Employer-Employee Data for the United States," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(2), pages 224-229, May.
    9. Charles M. Tiebout, 1956. "Exports and Regional Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(2), pages 160-160.
    10. Van Biesebroeck, Johannes, 2005. "Exporting raises productivity in sub-Saharan African manufacturing firms," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 373-391, December.
    11. David Greenaway & Richard Kneller, 2004. "Exporting and Productivity in the United Kingdom," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 20(3), pages 358-371, Autumn.
    12. Moulton, Brent R, 1990. "An Illustration of a Pitfall in Estimating the Effects of Aggregate Variables on Micro Unit," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 72(2), pages 334-338, May.
    13. Douglass C. North, 1955. "Location Theory and Regional Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 63(3), pages 243-243.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sébastien Breau & David L. Rigby, 2010. "International trade and wage inequality in Canada," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 55-86, January.
    2. Antoni, Manfred & Janser, Markus & Lehmer, Florian, 2015. "The hidden winners of renewable energy promotion: Insights into sector-specific wage differentials," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 595-613.
    3. Beatriz Muriel, 2011. "Rethinking Earnings Determinants in the Urban Areas of Bolivia," Development Research Working Paper Series 06/2011, Institute for Advanced Development Studies.
    4. Max Nathan & Neil Lee, 2013. "Cultural Diversity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship: Firm-level Evidence from London," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 89(4), pages 367-394, October.
    5. Carli Bezuidenhout & Marianne Matthee & Neil Rankin, 2021. "Exporting and the wage premium: The case of South African manufacturing firms," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 2031-2051, November.
    6. Julie A. Silva, 2008. "International Trade and the Changing Demand for Skilled Workers in High‐Tech Manufacturing," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(2), pages 225-251, June.
    7. Pablo Fajnzylber & J. Luis Guasch & J. Humberto López, 2009. "Does the Investment Climate Matter? Microeconomic Foundations of Growth in Latin America," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6300, December.
    8. Huong Vu & Steven Lim & Mark Holmes & Tinh Doan, 2013. "Firm Exporting and Employee Benefits: First Evidence from Vietnam Manufacturing SMEs," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 33(1), pages 519-535.
    9. Fu, Dahai & Wu, Yanrui, 2013. "Export wage premium in China's manufacturing sector: A firm level analysis," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 182-196.
    10. Richard G Funderburg & Xiaoxue Zhou, 2013. "Trading Industry Clusters amid the Legacy of Industrial Land-Use Planning in Southern California," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 45(11), pages 2752-2770, November.
    11. Schank, Thorsten & Schnabel, Claus & Wagner, Joachim, 2008. "Higher wages in exporting firms: self-selection, export effect, or both? First evidence from German linked employer-employee data," Discussion Papers 55, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.
    12. Beatriz Muriel Hernández, 2016. "An Analysis of Firm Characteristics as Earnings Determinants: The Urban Bolivia Case," Development Research Working Paper Series 04/2016, Institute for Advanced Development Studies.
    13. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "International Trade and Firm Performance: A Survey of Empirical Studies since 2006," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 2, pages 43-87, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    14. World Bank, 2007. "Economic Performance in Latin America and the Caribbean : A Microeconomic Perspective," World Bank Publications - Reports 7857, The World Bank Group.
    15. Nicola Gagliardi & Benoît Mahy & François Rycx, 2020. "Trade, GVCs, and wage inequality: Theoretical and empirical insights," Reflets et perspectives de la vie économique, De Boeck Université, vol. 0(2), pages 115-134.
    16. Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Higher Wages in Exporting Firms: Self-selection, Export Effect, or Both? First Evidence from Linked Employer–Employee Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 6, pages 215-241, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    17. Gandelman, Néstor & Alaimo, Veronica & Olarreaga, Marcelo & Guasch, José Luis & Lederman, Daniel & Casacuberta, Carlos & Oviedo, Ana María & López, J. Humberto & Love, Inessa & Porto, Guido & Fajnzylb, 2009. "Does the Investment Climate Matter?: Microeconomic Foundations of Growth in Latin America," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 359, May.
    18. Kong, Dongmin & Kong, Gaowen & Pang, Lirang & Zhang, Jian, 2018. "Who gets the wage premium from export: Top managers or employees?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 356-370.
    19. Fu, Dahai & Wu, Yanrui, 2011. "Exporting wage premium in the exporting sector: evidence from manufacturing firms in China," MPRA Paper 32721, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Shay Tsur, 2021. "Why Do Exporters Pay Higher Wages? Empirical Evidence From Israeli Companies," Israel Economic Review, Bank of Israel, vol. 19(1), pages 1-30.
    21. Vu, Van Huong, 2012. "Does export participation affect wages and employment quality? the case of Vietnamese SMEs," MPRA Paper 38696, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    22. repec:idb:brikps:359 is not listed on IDEAS
    23. Néstor Gandelman & Verónica Alaimo & Marcelo Olarreaga & José Luis Guasch & Daniel Lederman & Carlos Casacuberta & Ana María Oviedo & J. Humberto López & Inessa Love & Guido Porto & Pablo Fajnzylber &, 2009. "Does the Investment Climate Matter?: Microeconomic Foundations of Growth in Latin America," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 60058 edited by José Luis Guasch & J. Humberto López & Pablo Fajnzylber, February.
    24. Rigby, D L & Breau, Sebastien, 2007. "Impacts of Trade on Wage Quality in Los Angeles: Analysis Using Matched Employer-Employee Data," Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, Working Paper Series qt0fh5z1hf, Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, UC Santa Cruz.
    25. David Rigby & Sebastien Breau, 2006. "Impacts of Trade on Wage Inequality in Los Angeles: Analysis Using Matched Employer-Employee Data," Working Papers 06-12, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sébastien Breau & David L. Rigby, 2006. "Is There Really an Export Wage Premium? A Case Study of Los Angeles Using Matched Employee-Employer Data," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 29(3), pages 297-310, July.
    2. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Productivity: A Survey of the Evidence from Firm Level Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 1, pages 3-41, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Neil Foster-McGregor, 2012. "Innovation and Technology Transfer across Countries," wiiw Research Reports 380, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    4. Schank, Thorsten & Schnabel, Claus & Wagner, Joachim, 2004. "Exporting Firms Do Not Pay Higher Wages, Ceteris Paribus. First Evidence from Linked Employer-Employee Data," IZA Discussion Papers 1185, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Tomasz Serwach, 2012. "Why Learning by Exporting May Not Be As Common As You Think and What It Means for Policy," International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning, International School for Social and Business Studies, Celje, Slovenia, vol. 1(2), pages 157-172.
    6. Mita Bhattacharya & Kien Trung Nguyen, 2019. "Trade liberalization and the wage–skill premium: Evidence from Vietnamese manufacturing," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 519-540, February.
    7. Carli Bezuidenhout & Marianne Matthee & Neil Rankin, 2021. "Exporting and the wage premium: The case of South African manufacturing firms," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 2031-2051, November.
    8. Sébastien Breau & David L. Rigby, 2010. "International trade and wage inequality in Canada," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 55-86, January.
    9. Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Do Exporters Really Pay Higher Wages? First Evidence from German Linked Employer–Employee Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 5, pages 177-213, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    10. Youssouf KIENDREBEOGO, 2012. "Export Activity and Productivity: New Evidence from the Egyptian Manufacturing Industry," Working Papers 201220, CERDI.
    11. Ana M. Fernandes & Alberto E. Isgut, 2005. "Learning-by-Doing, Learning-by-Exporting, and Productivity: Evidence from Colombia," DEGIT Conference Papers c010_018, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    12. Pedro Martins & Yong Yang, 2009. "The impact of exporting on firm productivity: a meta-analysis of the learning-by-exporting hypothesis," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 145(3), pages 431-445, October.
    13. Pedro S. Martins & Yong Yang, 2007. "The Impact of Exporting on Firm Productivity: A Meta-Analysis," Working Papers 6, Queen Mary, University of London, School of Business and Management, Centre for Globalisation Research.
    14. Tarlok Singh, 2010. "Does International Trade Cause Economic Growth? A Survey," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(11), pages 1517-1564, November.
    15. Rigby, D L & Breau, Sebastien, 2007. "Impacts of Trade on Wage Quality in Los Angeles: Analysis Using Matched Employer-Employee Data," Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, Working Paper Series qt0fh5z1hf, Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, UC Santa Cruz.
    16. David Rigby & Sebastien Breau, 2006. "Impacts of Trade on Wage Inequality in Los Angeles: Analysis Using Matched Employer-Employee Data," Working Papers 06-12, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    17. Ma, Yue & Tang, Heiwai & Zhang, Yifan, 2014. "Factor Intensity, product switching, and productivity: Evidence from Chinese exporters," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 349-362.
    18. Kazuhiko Yokota & Akinori Tomohara, 2009. "Extending the Learning-By-Exporting Hypothesis: Introducing a Credit Constraint," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 15(2), pages 169-177, May.
    19. repec:kap:iaecre:v:15:y:2009:i:2:p:169-177 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Dai, Mi & Maitra, Madhura & Yu, Miaojie, 2016. "Unexceptional exporter performance in China? The role of processing trade," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 177-189.
    21. Ana M. Fernandes & Alberto E. Isgut, 2015. "Learning-by-Exporting Effects: Are They for Real?," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(1), pages 65-89, January.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:cen:wpaper:06-06. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dawn Anderson (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cesgvus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.