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Trade liberalization and labor market adjustment in Brazil

Author

Listed:
  • Pavcnik, Nina
  • Blom, Andreas
  • Goldberg, Pinelopi
  • Schady, Norbert

Abstract

The authors study the impact of the 1988-94 trade liberalization in Brazil on wage distribution. They explore three main channels through which trade liberalization could have affected wage distribution: (1) increasing returns to skilled workers because of Hecksher-Ohlin adjustments to trade policy; (2) trade-induced skill-biased technological change; and (3) changes in industry wage premiums. The results suggest that trade reform inBrazil did contribute to the growing skill premium through skill-biased technological change, which was partially instigated by increased foreign competition. The authors also find that sector-specific returns to skill increased more in sectors with bigger tariff reductions. But they find little support for Hecksher-Ohlin type adjustments to trade reform. Overall, the effects of trade reform on wage inequality seem relatively small.

Suggested Citation

  • Pavcnik, Nina & Blom, Andreas & Goldberg, Pinelopi & Schady, Norbert, 2003. "Trade liberalization and labor market adjustment in Brazil," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2982, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:2982
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    4. Emma Aisbett, 2007. "Why are the Critics So Convinced that Globalization is Bad for the Poor?," NBER Chapters, in: Globalization and Poverty, pages 33-86, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Verner, Dorte, 2005. "Poverty in rural and semi-urban Mexico during 1992-2002," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3576, The World Bank.
    6. Bernhard G. GUNTER & Rolph HOEVEN, 2004. "The social dimension of globalization: A review of the literature," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 143(1-2), pages 7-43, March.
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    8. Bosch, Mariano & Goñi-Pacchioni, Edwin & Maloney, William, 2012. "Trade liberalization, labor reforms and formal–informal employment dynamics," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 653-667.
    9. Majumder, Rajarshi, 2008. "Globalisation and Employment: A Prelude," MPRA Paper 12814, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Chiara Binelli & Orazio Attanasio, 2010. "Mexico in the 1990s: the Main Cross-Sectional Facts," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 13(1), pages 238-264, January.
    11. Verner, Dorte, 2004. "Education and its poverty-reducing effects: The case of Paraiba, Brazil," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3321, The World Bank.
    12. World Bank, 2004. "Brazil - Growth and Poverty Reduction in Rio Gande Do Norte: A State Economic Memorandum," World Bank Publications - Reports 14683, The World Bank Group.
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    14. Chiara Binelli, 2008. "Returns to Education and Increasing Wage Inequality in Latin America," Working Paper series 30_08, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    15. Richard Walker, 2005. "Superstars and Renaissance Men: Specialization, Market Size and the Income Distribution," CEP Discussion Papers dp0707, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    16. Koujianou Goldberg, Pinelopi & Pavcnik, Nina, 2003. "The response of the informal sector to trade liberalization," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 463-496, December.
    17. Kimhi, Ayal, 2004. "Growth, Inequality and Labor Markets in LDCs: A Survey," Discussion Papers 289990, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Agricultural Economics and Management.
    18. Eddy LEE & Marco VIVARELLI, 2006. "The social impact of globalization in the developing countries," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 145(3), pages 167-184, September.
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    20. Thierry Verdier, 2005. "Intégration commerciale « socialement responsable » : une approche en termes d'économie politique," Revue d’économie du développement, De Boeck Université, vol. 13(4), pages 55-121.
    21. Jorge Friedman & Nanno Mulder & Sebastián Faúndez & Esteban Pérez Caldentey & Carlos Yévenes & Mario Velásquez & Fernando Baizán & Gerhard Reinecke, 2011. "Openness, Wage Gaps and Unions in Chile: A Micro Econometric Analysis," OECD Trade Policy Papers 134, OECD Publishing.
    22. Verner, Dorte, 2004. "Poverty in the Brazilian Amazon: an assessment of poverty focused on the State of Para," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3357, The World Bank.
    23. Njikam, Ousmanou, 2016. "Trade liberalization, labor market regulations and labor demand in Cameroon," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 525-541.
    24. Rim BEN AYED MOUELHI, 2007. "The Impact Of Trade Liberalization On Tunisian Manufacturing: Structure, Performance And Employment," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 25, pages 87-114.
    25. Verner, Dorte, 2004. "Making the poor count takes more than counting the poor : A quick poverty assessment of the state of Bahia, Brazil," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3216, The World Bank.

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