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Is Seniority-Based Pay Used as a Motivation Device? Evidence from Plant Level Data

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Listed:
  • Alberto Bayo-Moriones
  • Jose E. Galdon-Sanchez
  • Maia Güell

Abstract

In this paper we use data from industrial plants to investigate if seniority-based pay is used asa motivational device for production workers. Alternatively, seniority-based pay could simplybe a wage setting rule not necessarily related to the provision of incentives. Unlike previouspapers, we use a direct measure of seniority-based pay as well as measures of monitoringdevices and piece-rates. We find that firms that offer seniority-based pay are less likely tooffer explicit incentives. They are also less likely to invest in monitoring devices. We alsofind that firms that offer seniority-based pay are more likely to engage in other humanresource management policies that result in long employment relationships. Overall theseresults suggest that seniority-based pay is indeed used as a motivation device.

Suggested Citation

  • Alberto Bayo-Moriones & Jose E. Galdon-Sanchez & Maia Güell, 2004. "Is Seniority-Based Pay Used as a Motivation Device? Evidence from Plant Level Data," CEP Discussion Papers dp0646, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp0646
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    3. Kampkötter, Patrick & Sliwka, Dirk, 2014. "Wage premia for newly hired employees," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 45-60.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Human resource management practices; incentives; monitoring;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General

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