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Szymczak, Sabina (2024): The impact of global value chains on wages, employment, and productivity: a survey of theoretical approaches. In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 58. DOI:10.1186/s12651-024-00367-w

Abstract

"This study presents a systematic literature review to provide a collection of theories explaining the impact of global value chains (GVCs) on labor market outcomes. Due to the complex nature of GVCs and the interconnectedness of wages, employment, and productivity, many direct and indirect effects are at play. To ensure a transparent and systematic flow of the review process, I follow the PRISMA guide. Eventually, 36 records out of 1221 results from Scopus database were selected. This review may be useful for theorists, empirical economists, and policy makers as an overview of theoretical developments and convenient map of potential outcomes expected from involvement in GVCs. It identifies and systematizes a number of effects existing in the literature under various names. The results show that the predictions from the theory are ambiguous. The positive effects which may emerge regardless the characteristics of the GVC are the productivity-enhancing effect and the cross-effect, especially important considering growing servicification of manufacturing. Here lies the critical role of the state and policies to assure that the losses will not exceed the gains in the aggregate terms. One of the main factors shaping the outcome is the power distribution among the GVC’s firms. Additionally, this paper shows the shortcomings of the existing theories. Less aggregated levels of analysis could be a great input to the discussion, as well as addressing different GVCs’ dimensions and types of organization. The understanding of relation between GVC position and labor market is especially worth exploration as the existing evidence adopt different and even contradicting perspectives on the definition of upgrading the GVC position." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Anwar, Sajid (2013): Outsourcing and the skilled-unskilled wage gap. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 118, H. 2, S. 347-350. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2012.11.024

Abstract

"Within the context of a product variety model, this paper examines the impact of outsourcing of skill-intensive tasks on the skilled-unskilled wage gap. Outsourcing affects the wage gap through direct as well as indirect channels. While outsourcing decreases the effective wage of skilled workers in the services sector, owing to inter-sectoral labour mobility, its overall impact on the equilibrium skilled wage is positive. Through an increase in the size of external economies in the industrial sector, outsourcing can reduce the unskilled wage. In overall terms, outsourcing of skill-intensive tasks increases the skilled - unskilled wage gap." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Brändle, Tobias & Andreas Koch (2013): Outsourcing potentials and international tradability of jobs. Evidence from German micro-level data. (IAW-Diskussionspapiere 93), Tübingen, 31 S.

Abstract

"We analyze the offshorability of jobs using the German Qualifications and Career Survey. The paper differentiates between outsourcing potential and international tradability and systematically uses a large set of potential determinants of organizational and spatial relocation derived from the existing literature on offshoring. Applying principal component analysis, we are able to compute two indicators explaining both the outsourcing potential and the international tradability of an individual employee according to the characteristics of the job performed. The results show that there is significant variation along the two dimensions across tasks, occupations, and industries. We apply our results to analyze the effects of outsourcing potential and international tradability on individual income and find that especially the latter has a negative effect. Moreover, our computed indicators can be used to further investigate the economic effects of offshoring potential." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Böckerman, Petri & Mika Maliranta (2013): Outsourcing, occupational restructuring, and employee well-being. Is there a silver lining? (IZA discussion paper 7399), Bonn, 54 S.

Abstract

"This paper examines the relationship between outsourcing and various aspects of employee well-being by devoting special attention to the role of occupational restructuring as a conveying mechanism. Using linked employer-employee data, we find that offshoring involves job destruction, especially when the destination is a low-wage country. In such circumstances, staying employees' job satisfaction is reduced. However, the relationship between outsourcing and employee well-being is not entirely negative. Our evidence also shows that offshoring to high-wage countries stimulates the vertical mobility of employees in affected firms in a manner that improves perceived well-being, particularly in terms of better prospects for promotion." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Geishecker, Ingo & Holger Görg (2013): Services offshoring and wages. Evidence from micro data. In: Oxford economic papers, Jg. 65, H. 1, S. 124-146. DOI:10.1093/oep/gpr055

Abstract

"This paper investigates the effects of services offshoring on wages using individual-level data combined with industry information on offshoring for the United Kingdom. Our results show that services offshoring affects the real wage of low- and medium-skilled individuals negatively. By contrast, skilled workers may benefit from services offshoring in terms of higher real wages. Hence, offshoring has contributed to a widening of the wage gap between skilled and less skilled workers. This result is obtained while controlling for individual and sectoral observed and unobserved heterogeneity. In particular, our empirical model also controls for the impact of technological change and offshoring of materials." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hogrefe, Jan (2013): Income and employment effects of trade and offshoring in modern labor markets. Tübingen, 154 S.

Abstract

"Die Dissertation widmet sich dem Einfluss von Außenhandel auf verschiedene Variablen und Mechanismen des Arbeitsmarktes. Ein besonderes Augenmerk gilt der Produktionsverlagerung, dem sogenannten Offshoring, und dessen Auswirkungen auf den deutschen Arbeitsmarkt. Die Dissertation gliedert sich in vier eigenständige Kapitel, mit einer einleitenden Motivation und einigen Schlussfolgerungen als Klammer. Das der Einleitung folgende Kapitel 2 beschäftigt sich mit den Bestimmungsfaktoren der Arbeitseinkommensquote im Allgemeinen und der Rolle der Handelsoffenheit im Speziellen. Es wird mit Hilfe ökonometrischer Verfahren der Panelanalyse gezeigt, dass gerade seit 1980 der Offenheit eines Landes gegenüber dem Außenhandel eine besondere Rolle zukommt. Kapitel 3 behandelt die Beziehung zwischen Offshoring und dem Konzept des langfristigen Arbeitseinkommensrisikos. Hierzu wird dieses Einkommensrisiko empirisch geschätzt und anschließend mit Offshoring auf Industrieebene in einer Panelstudie in Verbindung gesetzt. Die Analyse zeigt, dass eine Erhöhung der Intensität des Offshoring mit einer Abnahme des langfristigen Einkommensrisikos korreliert ist. Das vierte Kapitel zeigt eine Abhängigkeit zwischen der Arbeitsnachfrage nach bestimmten Tätigkeiten und Offshoring auf. Im Gegensatz zu klassischen 'skill-based' Ansätzen bildet der sogenannte 'task-based' Ansatz direkter die Handelbarkeit, und damit die Möglichkeit der Auslagerung, verschiedener Arten von Arbeit ab. Die Analyse zeigt zunächst theoretisch auf, wie der Zusammenhang strukturiert sein könnte und bestätigt anschließend in einer ökonometrischen Studie die negative Beziehung zwischen Offshoring und der Nachfrage nach leicht handelbarer Arbeit. Kapitel 5 beleuchtet den Zusammenhang zwischen Offshoring und der individuellen Weiterbildung. In einem erweiterten Offshoring Modell wird zunächst gezeigt, dass Offshoring einen positiven Einfluss auf die Weiterbildungsentscheidung hat. Anschließend wird empirisch gezeigt, dass in Industrien mit einem höheren Wachstum des Offshoring eine höhere Wahrscheinlichkeit besteht 'on-the-job-training' zu beobachten." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Schröder, Martin (2013): Should I stay or should I go? How moral arguments influence decisions about offshoring production. In: Economic and Industrial Democracy, Jg. 34, H. 2, S. 187-204. DOI:10.1177/0143831X12440465

Abstract

"How do trade unions and works councils influence what managements see as economically rational? Each of the two companies that this article studies planned to offshore its production to a low-cost country. Yet one of the two changed its plans after moral arguments were raised against this, whereas the other offshored in spite of similar arguments. Regardless of a similar economic situation, the two companies did the opposite of each other, yet each defended its action as economically optimal. This comparison of the two case studies therefore shows how moral arguments influence what actors define as economically rational." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Sethupathy, Guru (2013): Offshoring, wages, and employment. Theory and evidence. In: European Economic Review, Jg. 62, H. August, S. 73-97. DOI:10.1016/j.euroecorev.2013.04.004

Abstract

"This paper investigates the wage and employment effects of offshoring. I use firm-level data and two events in Mexico as a natural experiment to identify the effects of a fall in the marginal cost of offshoring to Mexico. I find that domestic wages actually rise at US firms likely to take advantage of this new offshoring opportunity. At the same time, domestic wages fall at US firms unlikely to take advantage of this opportunity. Furthermore, I find no evidence of greater domestic job loss at the former compared to the latter firms. These findings are consistent with productivity effects from offshoring. To explain the mechanism, I develop a theoretical framework that combines heterogeneous firms with imperfect labor markets and rent-sharing. Firms likely to take advantage of new offshoring opportunities increase their productivity and profitability at the expense of their competitors. Through rent-sharing, this channel leads to higher domestic wages at the former firms relative to the latter. Further, there is no empirical evidence of greater domestic job loss at the firms likely to expand their offshoring compared to their competitors that are unlikely to increase their offshoring." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Aubuchon, Craig P., Subhayu Bandyopadhyay & Sumon Kumar Bhaumik (2012): The extent and impact of outsourcing. Evidence from Germany. In: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis review, Jg. 94, H. 4, S. 287-304.

Abstract

"The authors use data from several sources, including plant-level data from the manufacturing sector in Germany, to expand the literature on outsourcing. They find that, in Germany, the extent of outsourcing among manufacturing industries is higher than among service industries and that the outsourcing intensity of these industries did not change much between 1995 and 2005. They also find a statistically significantly positive impact of industry-level outsourcing intensity on German plant-level labor productivity for both 2000 and 2005. The estimated economic impact of outsourcing on plant-level productivity is also fairly significant." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Cadarso Vecina, María Ángeles, Nuria Gómez Sanz, Luis Antonio López Santiago & María Ángeles Tobarra Gómez (2012): Offshoring components and their effect on employment: firms deciding about how and where. In: Applied Economics, Jg. 44, H. 8, S. 1009-1020. DOI:10.1080/00036846.2010.532113

Abstract

"Firms must take two fundamental decisions: how and where to produce. Traditional measures of offshoring include information on both decisions but cannot distinguish between them. In this article, we attempt to distinguish the evolution of the requirement of inputs per unit of output (how to produce) from the delocalization of production to others countries (where to produce). We call global technical change to the first element and net offshoring to the second. We further decompose net offshoring into net inter-industry substitution and intra-industrial offshoring (replacement of domestic inputs for imported ones from the same sector). This last measure quantifies better the concept of delocalization of production to other countries looking for lower costs, the original idea behind offshoring. This decomposition allows us to further investigate on whether technical change or net offshoring is the main factor in recent Spanish industrial employment changes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Crinò, Rosario (2012): Service offshoring and the skill composition of labour demand. In: Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Jg. 74, H. 1, S. 20-57. DOI:10.1111/j.1468-0084.2010.00634.x

Abstract

"This article studies the effects of service offshoring on the skill composition of labour demand, using novel comparable data for nine Western European countries between 1990 and 2004. The results show that service offshoring raises the relative demand for high- and medium-skilled workers. Its effects are qualitatively identical, and quantitatively similar, to those of material offshoring. Additional evidence suggests, however, that the two types of offshoring may work through different channels: complementarity between imported services and domestic skills in the case of service offshoring, substitution of low-skilled labour in the case of material offshoring. Overall, the effects are not large in economic terms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Dumont, Michel, Glenn Rayp & Peter Willemé (2012): The bargaining position of low-skilled and high-skilled workers in a globalising world. In: Labour economics, Jg. 19, H. 3, S. 312-319. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2012.02.005

Abstract

"This paper extends the assessment of the impact of globalisation and technological change on the bargaining power and preferences of employees, by taking worker heterogeneity into account. In contrast with previous studies, two separate unions - representing low-skilled and high-skilled workers respectively - are considered. Using Belgian firm-level data, labour bargaining power and relative wage preference have been estimated by skill level. When these estimates are subsequently regressed on a set of potential determinants, the bargaining power of low-skilled workers appears to fall with imports and offshoring, whereas the bargaining power of high-skilled workers is only positively affected by R&D activities. In addition, a significant effect of globalisation is found on the relative preference of unions for wages over employment, indicating that the effect of globalisation on the behaviour of labour unions is more encompassing than frequently assumed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Görg, Holger & Dennis Görlich (2012): Offshoring, wages and job security of temporary workers. (Kieler Arbeitspapier 1797), Kiel, 35 S.

Abstract

"We investigate the impact of offshoring on individual level wages and unemployment probabilities and pay particular attention to the question of whether workers on temporary contracts are affected differently than workers on permanent contracts. Data are taken from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), linked with industry-level data on offshoring of materials and services inputs calculated from the World Input Output Database (WIOD). In manufacturing we find that temporary workers face a significant reduction in wages as materials offshoring increases, while permanent workers' wages are unaffected or even tend to increase. Offshoring of core activities generally also tends to reduce the probability of becoming unemployed, and more so for temporary than for permanent workers. By contrast, offshoring of services inputs does not have any statistically significant effects on either wages or employment probabilities in manufacturing. In the service industries, workers are affected in terms of employment probabilities from offshoring of services inputs only, although, in contrast to manufacturing industries, there are no statistically significant effects on individual wages from any type of offshoring." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Handel, Michael J. (2012): Trends in job skill demands in OECD countries. (OECD social, employment and migration working papers 143), Paris, 119 S. DOI:10.1787/5k8zk8pcq6td-en

Abstract

"This report examines skill trends in 24 OECD countries over the past several decades. The skill measures used include broad occupation groups, country-specific direct measures of skill requirements from international surveys, and direct skill measures from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database applied to both United States and European labour force surveys. Each kind of data has its own strengths and limitations but they tell a consistent story." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hogrefe, Jan & Yao Yao (2012): Offshoring and labor income risk. An empirical investigation. (SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research at DIW Berlin 515), Berlin, 30 S.

Abstract

"Dieses Diskussionspapier geht der Frage nach, wie sich Auslagerungsprozesse von Produktionsaktivitäten, sogenanntes Offshoring, auf den deutschen Arbeitsmarkt auswirken. Insbesondere wird der Zusammenhang zwischen Offshoring und Einkommensrisiko behandelt - ein Aspekt der bisher in der Literatur kaum Beachtung gefunden hat. Einkommensrisiko bezeichnet hierbei Schocks auf das Einkommen, welche nicht nach kurzer Zeit auslaufen und daher nicht durch Sparen oder Entsparen selbstständig 'versicherbar' sind. Dieses sogenannte permanente Einkommensrisiko ist eindeutig wohlfahrtsrelevant, da hiervon die langfristigen Spar- und Konsumentscheidungen risikoaverser Individuen betroffen sind. Durch die Analyse des Einkommensrisikos tragen wir zudem dadurch zum Fortschritt der Forschungsliteratur bei, dass wir nicht allein Niveaueffekte untersuchen. Risikoaverse Individuen benötigen bezüglich wohlfahrtsrelevanter Entscheidungen immer auch Informationen über die Volatilität des Einkommens." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Horgos, Daniel (2012): International outsourcing and wage rigidity. In: Global economy journal, Jg. 12, H. 2, S. 1-28. DOI:10.1515/1524-5861.1844

Abstract

"In industrialized economies, International Outsourcing is often blamed for destroying jobs and thus, inducing unemployment. Since most contributions examining International Outsourcing assume flexible wages, they do not address these concerns directly. This paper adopts a rigid wage approach and investigates the differences occurring. As theoretical results and the empirical panel data estimations for Germany show, effects depend on industry aggregation, the industry's skill intensity, and the labor market institution. Only in industries characterized by wage rigidity, outsourcing significantly increases low skilled unemployment. Consequently, not International Outsourcing but inflexible labor market institutions instead should be blamed for destroying low skill jobs." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Massini, Silvia & Marcela Miozzo (2012): Outsourcing and offshoring of business services. Challenges to theory, management and geography of innovation. In: Regional Studies. Journal of the Regional Studies Association, Jg. 46, H. 9, S. 1219-1242. DOI:10.1080/00343404.2010.509128

Abstract

"Auf der Grundlage einer Originalerhebung erörtern wir in diesem Beitrag die Trends und Probleme beim Outsourcing und bei der Auslandsverlagerung von Geschäftsdiensten. Wir dokumentieren und analysieren die zunehmende Verlagerung von Geschäftsdiensten (Verwaltungsdiensten, Callcentern, Informationstechnologie-Diensten, Beschaffung und Produktentwicklung) von den USA und Europa in weniger entwickelte Länder und untersuchen die ausgelagerten Funktionen, die Größe und die Zielorte der auslagernden Firmen sowie die Umsetzungsmodelle. Ebenso untersuchen wir die Rolle der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnik und die Entwicklung von großen, weltweit tätigen Dienstanbietern sowie von neuen Firmen in entwickelten und weniger entwickelten Ländern. Wir erörtern die Auswirkungen hinsichtlich der Outsourcing-Entscheidungen, der Globalisierung von hochgradig wertsteigernden Aktivitäten (wie z. B. Produktentwicklung und Innovation), der Probleme in sich entwickelnden Marktstrukturen und des Entstehens von fachlichen Clustern, in denen Firmen Fachwissen entwickeln, um Aktivitäten und Fachkenntnisse in einem breiten Spektrum von Sektoren anzubieten bzw. um darum zu konkurrieren." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Addison, John T., Lutz Bellmann, André Pahnke & Paulino Teixeira (2011): A research note on the determinants and consequences of outsourcing using German data. In: Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung, Jg. 44, H. 3, S. 231-244., 2011-04-21. DOI:10.1007/s12651-011-0079-1

Abstract

"Auf der Basis der Daten des IAB-Betriebspanels werden in dem Papier zwei Outsourcing-Indikatoren gebildet und die Determinanten dafür sowie die Beschäftigungseffekte untersucht. Beide Indikatoren weisen Gemeinsamkeiten bei den Korrelationen mit anderen Variablen auf. In keinem Fall zeigen sich in unseren Regressionsmodellen für alle Wirtschaftszweige negative Beschäftigungseffekte. Bei einer Modellspezifikation werden jedoch negative Beschäftigungseffekte für das Verarbeitende Gewerbe, aber auch positive Beschäftigungseffekte für den Dienstleistungssektor bei einer anderen Modellspezifikation ermittelt. Wir finden auch keine Hinweise auf Verzerrungen, die durch das Überleben der Betriebe bestimmt sind. Dies liegt daran, dass für die Beziehung zwischen Outsourcing und Betriebsschließungen ein im Wesentlichen negativer Zusammenhang besteht, der allerdings nur schwach ausgeprägt ist." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Harrison, Ann & Margaret McMillan (2011): Offshoring jobs? Multinationals and U.S. manufacturing employment. In: The Review of Economics and Statistics, Jg. 93, H. 3, S. 857-875. DOI:10.1162/REST_a_00085

Abstract

"Using firm-level data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, we estimate the impact on U.S. manufacturing employment of changes in foreign affiliate wages. We show that the motive for offshoring and, consequently, the location of offshore activity, significantly affects the impact of offshoring on parent employment. In general, offshoring to low-wage countries substitutes for domestic employment. However, for firms that do significantly different tasks at home and abroad, foreign and domestic employment are complements. These offsetting effects may be combined to show that offshoring by U.S.-based multinationals is associated with a quantitatively small decline in manufacturing employment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Sass, Magdolna & Martina Fifekova (2011): Offshoring and outsourcing business services to Central and Eastern Europe. Some empirical and conceptual considerations. In: European Planning Studies, Jg. 19, H. 9, S. 1593-1609. DOI:10.1080/09654313.2011.586196

Abstract

"The global structural shift towards service-based foreign direct investment (FDI) across the world is a relatively recent phenomenon resulting from the increased tradability of services. Although India and Ireland have traditionally been viewed as the main receiver countries, the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region is becoming an increasingly popular destination for business service offshoring and outsourcing. The article focuses first on the empirical and conceptual challenges to understanding the offshoring and outsourcing of business services in the context of significant difficulties with their definition, categorization and classification. It discusses the shortcomings of quantitative data and provides a theoretical framework needed to understand the specific patterns of service sector FDI in the context of CEE. Second, the article outlines the current position of CEE countries as destinations for service sector FDI: it analyses the patterns of service sector investment and discusses the reasons for its emergence as a receiver region. The empirical material is drawn from 30 interviews conducted with senior managers in business service foreign investment in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The article concludes that the composition of services FDI flows is changing, reflecting the growth of resource seeking vertical investment in the region. The share of CEE countries in the global flows of this type of investments is still low, but the region shows a growing potential. Its attractiveness is based on a number of factors, like availability of skilled labour with strong language skills, low costs, favourable business and stable political environment, well-developed infrastructure and geographical and cultural proximity to Western Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ottaviano, Gianmarco I. P., Giovanni Peri & Greg C. Wright (2010): Immigration, offshoring and American jobs. (NBER working paper 16439), Cambridge, Mass., 49 S. DOI:10.3386/w16439

Abstract

"How many 'American jobs' have U.S.-born workers lost due to immigration and offshoring? Or, alternatively, is it possible that immigration and offshoring, by promoting cost-savings and enhanced efficiency in firms, have spurred the creation of jobs for U.S. natives? We consider a multi-sector version of the Grossman and Rossi-Hansberg (2008) model with a continuum of tasks in each sector and we augment it to include immigrants with heterogeneous productivity in tasks. We use this model to jointly analyze the impact of a reduction in the costs of offshoring and of the costs of immigrating to the U.S. The model predicts that while cheaper offshoring reduces the share of natives among less skilled workers, cheaper immigration does not, but rather reduces the share of offshored jobs instead. Moreover, since both phenomena have a positive 'cost-savings' effect they may leave unaffected, or even increase, total native employment of less skilled workers. Our model also predicts that offshoring will push natives toward jobs that are more intensive in communication-interactive skills and away from those that are manual and routine intensive. We test the predictions of the model on data for 58 U.S. manufacturing industries over the period 2000-2007 and find evidence in favor of a positive productivity effect such that immigration has a positive net effect on native employment while offshoring has no effect on it. We also find some evidence that offshoring has pushed natives toward more communication-intensive tasks while it has pushed immigrants away from them." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Laaser, Claus-Friedrich & Klaus Schrader (2009): Offshoring von Arbeitsplätzen. Ein empirischer Befund für Deutschland. In: Aussenwirtschaft, Jg. 64, H. 2, S. 183-204.

Abstract

"Der Beitrag geht der Frage nach, in welchem Ausmaß die Arbeitsplätze in Deutschland nach ihren unterschiedlichen beruflichen Profilen, Qualifikationen sowie Einkommensgruppen potenziell von einer Verlagerung an ausländische Standorte betroffen sein könnten. Die empirische Analyse auf Basis der deutschen Berufsordnungen zeigt, dass gemessen an der Zahl der sozialversicherungspflichtig Beschäftigten mehr als 40 Prozent der Arbeitsplätze potenziell verlagerbar sind, deutlich mehr als in den Vereinigten Staaten und der Schweiz. Tendenziell sind überdurchschnittlich hoch entlohnte Tätigkeiten mit relativ hohen Qualifikationsanforderungen mindestens genauso leicht verlagerbar wie Arbeitsplätze von geringqualifizierten Niedriglohnbeziehern. Ländern mit einem relativ hohen Pro-Kopf-Einkommen wie Deutschland droht daher ein Verlust ihres Einkommensvorsprungs gegenüber den aufholenden Volkswirtschaften, wenn sie nicht ständig in ihre Humankapitalbasis investieren." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Wills, Jane (2009): Subcontracted employment and its challenge to labor. In: Labor Studies Journal, Jg. 34, H. 4, S. 441-460. DOI:10.1177/0160449X08324740

Abstract

"This article argues that subcontracted employment is becoming paradigmatic. This form of employment has stark consequences for traditional models of trade union organization that focus on collective bargaining with the employer. The article highlights the need for subcontracted workers to put pressure on the 'real employer' at the top of any contracting chain. Drawing on the lessons from community-union organizing efforts and, particularly, living wage campaigns, the article suggests that trade unions can effectively work with other social movements and allies in the community to secure the political leverage needed to change the terms and conditions of subcontracted employment. The article illustrates these arguments by exploring recent experience of the living wage campaign in London. The article draws on original research material from the Homerton Hospital and Queen Mary, University of London, to explore the progress of these living wage campaigns and their wider significance for labor organization." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Keuschnigg, Christian & Evelyn Ribi (2008): Outsourcing, unemployment and welfare policy. (CESifo working paper 2452), München, 32 S.

Abstract

"Outsourcing of labor intensive activities challenges the welfare state and undermines the protection of low-skilled workers. The stylized facts are that profits are concentrated among the high-skilled, involuntary unemployment is mostly among the low-skilled, and private unemployment insurance is missing. This paper analyzes the effectiveness of redistribution and insurance policies when heterogeneous firms can outsource labor intensive components to low-wage economies. The main results are: (i) Social insurance props up wages, leading to more outsourcing and unskilled unemployment. (ii) Redistribution from the skilled to the working poor acts as a wage subsidy to unskilled workers, thereby reducing gross wages, outsourcing and unemployment. (iii) A trend to outsourcing, induced by lower transport costs of imported components, depresses low-skilled wages, raises unemployment, and boosts profits. The resulting polarization of society and the increased income risk of unskilled workers emphasize the social gains from redistribution and insurance and thus call for a more active role of the welfare state in more open economies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Koskela, Erkki & Panu Poutvaara (2008): Flexible outsourcing and the impacts of labour taxation in European welfare states. (CESifo working paper 2440), München, 43 S.

Abstract

"In European Welfare States, lowskilled workers are typically unionized, while the wage formation of highskilled workers is more competitive. To focus on this aspect, we analyze how flexible international outsourcing and labour taxation affect wage formation, employment and welfare in dual domestic labour markets. Higher productivity of outsourcing and lower cost of outsourcing and lower factor price of outsourcing increase wage dispersion between the highskilled and lowskilled workers. Increasing wage tax progression of lowskilled workers decreases the wage rate and increases the labour demand of lowskilled workers. It decreases the welfare of lowskilled workers and increases both the welfare of highskilled workers and the profit of firms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Koskela, Erkki & Panu Poutvaara (2008): Flexible outsourcing and the impacts of labour taxation in European welfare states. (Helsinki Center of Economic Research. Discussion paper 227), Helsinki, 38 S.

Abstract

"In European Welfare States, lowskilled workers are typically unionized, while the wage formation of highskilled workers is more competitive. To focus on this aspect, we analyze how flexible international outsourcing and labour taxation affect wage formation, employment and welfare in dual domestic labour markets. Higher productivity of outsourcing and lower cost of outsourcing and lower factor price of outsourcing increase wage dispersion between the highskilled and lowskilled workers. Increasing wage tax progression of lowskilled workers decreases the wage rate and increases the labour demand of lowskilled workers. It decreases the welfare of lowskilled workers and increases both the welfare of highskilled workers and the profit of firms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Horgos, Daniel (2007): Labor market effects of international outsourcing. How measurement matters. (SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research at DIW Berlin 58), Berlin, 32 S.

Abstract

"As regards labor market effects of International Outsourcing, empirical studies have difficulties in confirming theoretical results. The use of different indices adds to the puzzle. The paper examines whether measurement differences are one reason for the mismatch between empirical and theoretical findings. In fact, considering the properties of various outsourcing indices and applying a panel data estimation of the effects on the within industries' wage gap in Germany, theory and empirics can be reconciled: while the wage gap increases in the aggregate, the service sector and the high skill intensive industries, it decreases in the low skill intensive industries - which is in line with theoretical findings by Arndt (1997, 1998)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Schöller, Deborah (2007): Service offshoring and the demand for less-skilled labor. Evidence from Germany. (Hohenheimer Diskussionsbeiträge 287/2007), Stuttgart, 38 S.

Abstract

"Besides material offshoring, economists have started to analyze the impact of service offshoring on domestic employment. Services are of particular interest since their significance has grown in terms of both quantity and quality. One decade ago, most services were considered non-tradable, but the emergence of new information and communication technologies has contributed to overcoming geographical distance. The move towards the liberalization of international service trade has further accelerated this process. The empirical part of this paper first calculates German service offshoring intensities on a sectoral basis using input-output data. This measurement represents the proportion of imported service inputs used in home production. Germany's average service offshoring intensity more than doubled from 1991 to 2003. In a next step, the impact of service offshoring on the demand for heterogeneous labor in Germany is estimated at a sectoral level including 28 manufacturing sectors. The partial static equilibrium model is based on a variable unit cost function in the general translog form allowing for quasi-fixed input factors. Two different skill-levels are taken into account. The estimation results indicate that service offshoring reduced the relative demand for less-skilled labor in the German manufacturing sectors by on average -0.06 to -0.16% per year between 1991 and 2000." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Levy, Frank, Richard J. Murnane & Alan S. Blinder (2006): What sorts of rich-country jobs (and how many) are at risk to globalisation? In: CESifo forum, Jg. 7, H. 2, S. 38-40.

Abstract

Der Beitrag gibt zwei Auffassungen zur Frage, welche Arbeitsplätze durch Offshoring betroffen sind, wider. Die Autoren des ersten Beitrags (Frank Levy und Richard J. Murnane: For now, middle-skilled jobs are the most vulnerable) postulieren zwei Bedingungen, die für die Auslagerung von Arbeitsplätzen ins Ausland erfüllt sein müssen: Zum einen muss die Erbringung der Leistung ortsunabhängig sein, und zum anderen muss gewährleistet sein, dass relevante Informationen zwischen Auftraggeber und Auftragnehmer ohne Missverständnisse ausgetauscht werden können. Das zweite Kriterium wird als entscheidend erachtet für die Auslagerung vieler Arbeitsplätze mittlerer Qualifikation ins Ausland: Viele Tätigkeiten mittlerer Qualifikation sind repetitiv und regelbasiert (und damit Kandidaten für Automatisierung). Sowohl durch die genormte Arbeitsgestaltung, die klare Schnittstellen mit sich bringt, als auch aufgrund infomationstechnischer Voraussetzungen sind sie leicht auszulagern. Auf diese Auffassung bezieht sich der zweite Beitrag (Alan S. Blinder: Activities that do not require physical contact or georgraphical proximity are most at risk). Der Autor weist darauf hin, dass sich die Mengen der potentiell automatisierbaren Stellen und der potentiell ins Ausland verlagerbaren Stellen zwar nicht vollständig, aber in hohem Maße überscheiden: Jede routinisierte Tätigkeit, die weder physischen Kontakt noch geographische Nähe erfordert, ist ein Kandidat für Offshoring. Für die Industrieländer geht der Autor von sinkenden Löhnen für nicht-personenbezogene Dienstleistungen und von steigenden Löhnen für personenbezogen Dienstleistungen aus. (IAB)

Zitatform

Sinn, Hans-Werner (2006): Migration and social replacement incomes. How to protect low-income workers in the industrialized countries against the forces of globalization and market integration. (Munich economics. Electronic reprint 2006-02), München, 20 S.

Abstract

"This paper discusses how an industrialized country could defend the living standard of its unskilled workers against the wage competition from immigrants. It shows that fixing social replacement incomes implies migration into unemployment. Defending wages with replacement incomes brings about first order efficiency losses that approximate the budget cost of the government. By contrast, wage subsidies involve much smaller welfare losses. While the exclusion of migrants from a national wage replacement program does not avoid the distortions in labor migration, the (temporary) exclusion of migrants from a national wage subsidy program makes it possible to reach the first best migration pattern despite the preservation of the welfare state." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Engelmann, Sabine (2005): Internationaler Handel und der Arbeitsmarkt Sachsens: Sind niedrig qualifizierte Beschäftigte die Verlierer im Globalisierungsprozess? In: Ifo Dresden berichtet, Jg. 12, H. 4, S. 11-17.

Abstract

"Ein hohes Exportvolumen, niedriges Wirtschaftswachstum und steigende Arbeitslosenquoten der niedrig qualifizierten Erwerbsfähigen kennzeichnen seit langem die Wirtschaft Deutschlands. Für Sachsen sind ähnliche Trends beobachtbar. Diese Entwicklungen sind unter anderem eine Konsequenz der Globalisierung bei bestehenden rigiden Löhnen in Deutschland und werden unter dem Schlagwort 'Basarökonomie' zusammengefasst. Die Studie untersucht dieses Phänomen für Sachsen und gibt Antwort, inwieweit Sachsens Unternehmen die Kostenvorteile aus Produktionsverlagerungen ins Ausland nutzen und welche Folgen dies für den sächsischen Arbeitsmarkt hat." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Geishecker, Ingo (2005): International outsourcing and German manufacturing wages. In: Schmollers Jahrbuch, Jg. 125, H. 1, S. 87-95.

Abstract

Der Zusammenhang zwischen Outsourcing ins Ausland und der Lohnentwicklung wird auf der Basis von SOEP-Daten, die mit wirtschaftszweigspezifischen Informationen über Outsourcing kombiniert werden, untersucht. Im Unterschied zur gängigen Unterscheidung zwischen Arbeitern und Angestellen werden auch Daten über das Bildungsniveau mit einbezogen, um genauer zwischen verschiedenen Qualifikationsniveaus zu unterscheiden. Während kein Einfluss von Outsourcing auf die Löhne von Arbeitern und Angestellten nachgewiesen werden kann, zeigt sich jedoch ein solcher Einfluss, wenn man feinere Qualifikationsdefinitionen anwendet: Ein Anstieg von einem Prozentpunkt führt zu einer Senkung der Reallöhne von 1,7 Prozent für niedrig Qualifizierte und für hoch Qualifizierte zu einem Anstieg der Reallöhne um 2,2 Prozentpunkte. (IAB)

Zitatform

Strauss-Kahn, Vanessa (2005): Firms' location decision across asymmetric countries and employment inequality. In: European Economic Review, Jg. 49, H. 2, S. 299-320. DOI:10.1016/j.euroecorev.2003.12.008

Abstract

"This paper analyzes the effect of globalization (lower trade costs) on production and trade patterns if, firms are vertically linked, stages of production differ in labor-factors intensity and countries differ in labor-factors prices. In order to reflect the 'Continental Europe' experience, relative wages are assumed fixed and spatial changes in production are translated into changes in relative (skilled to unskilled) employment levels. The asymmetry in factors prices across countries results in a unique agglomeration equilibrium for a broad range of trade costs. At low trade costs, firms' location depends on production costs-vertical specialization occurs. This paper also provides a consistent explanation of the observed increase in employment inequality between skilled and unskilled workers in relatively high-unskilled wage countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"Verlagerungen von Arbeitsplätzen ins Ausland führen kaum zu Beschäftigungsverlusten in Europa. So lautet das Ergebnis des von Euroframe, dem Zusammenschluss zehn führender europäischer Wirtschaftsforschungsinstitute, veröffentlichten Frühjahrsreports 2005. Demnach überwiegen die Vorteile von Jobverlagerungen die Nachteile bei weitem. Outsourcing ist nur zu einem geringen Teil Ursache für die Verschlechterung der Situation auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Von Jobverlagerungen ins Ausland sind insbesondere niedrig qualifizierte Arbeitskräfte in arbeitsintensiven Sektoren betroffen, die mit denen in Niedriglohnländern konkurrieren. Weil der Lohn in den unteren Lohngruppen bei uns weit über dem Niveau dieser Länder liegt, kann hier zu wettbewerbsfähigen Preisen kaum noch produziert werden. Hinzu kommt, dass ein Teil der Jobverlagerungen nicht durch Niedriglohnkonkurrenz motiviert ist, sondern durch den Wunsch neue Absatzmärkte zu erschließen. Gelingt dies, werden auch hier Arbeitsplätze gesichert und - in wissensintensiven Bereichen - geschaffen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Malchow-Moller, Nikolaj & Jan Rose Skaksen (2003): Skill-biased technological change in Denmark. A disaggregate perspective. (IZA discussion paper 752), Bonn, 19 S.

Abstract

"In this paper, we provide an industry-level analysis of skill-biased technological change (SBTC) in Denmark over the last two decades. The analysis shows that SBTC has varied considerably across industries, and traditionally large Danish industries have experienced relatively less SBTC. This may partly explain why wage inequality between skilled and less skilled has risen less in Denmark than in other countries. We also find that SBTC has been concentrated in already skill-intensive industries. This contains important information about future labour requirements, as the relative importance of these industries must be expected to grow, thereby reinforcing the shift in demand for skilled labour." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))