Lohnstarrheit / Wage Rigidity
In Krisenzeiten greifen Arbeitgeberinnen und Arbeitgeber eher auf Entlassungen als auf das Mittel der Nominallohnsenkung zurück. Dies kann am Einfluss der Gewerkschaften, an unflexiblen Lohnsystemen der Firmen oder auch an Fairnessnormen liegen. Welche Auswirkungen haben nach unten starre Löhne auf dem Arbeitsmarkt? Führen sie in Verbindung mit einer niedrigen Inflationsrate zu höherer Arbeitslosigkeit? Diese IAB-Infoplattform präsentiert wissenschaftliche Literatur zum Thema Abwärtslohnrigidität.
In times of crisis, employers tend to resort to dismissals instead of the medium of reduction in nominal wages. This may be due to the influence of the trade unions, the inflexibility of company wage systems, or possibly also norms of fairness. What effect do downwardly rigid wages have on the labour market? Do they lead - in conjunction with a lower inflation rate - to higher unemployment? This IAB info platform presents scientific literature on the topic of downward wage rigidity.
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Literaturhinweis
Benchmarks for the assessment of wage developments (2013)
Zitatform
Europäische Kommission. Generaldirektion Wirtschaft und Finanzen (2013): Benchmarks for the assessment of wage developments. (European economy. Occasional papers 146), Brüssel, 30 S. DOI:10.2765/47648
Abstract
"As the uncertainty relating to the sovereign debt crisis in some Euro Area Member States continued over the last two years, the extent and potential consequences of the spillovers between euro area Member States' economic, financial and budgetary situations has become increasingly evident.
Assessing the implications of wage developments for the build-up and correction of macroeconomic imbalances is a key analytical foundation of In Depth Reviews (IDRs). Such an assessment has to determine whether growth in labour costs is compatible with orderly developments in price competitiveness or with standard responses to economic fundamentals. This paper presents two benchmarks to this end: the first is based on wage growth consistent with constant price competitiveness; the second assumes that wage growth is consistent with changes in economic fundamentals (changes in labour productivity, unemployment and inflation)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))Weiterführende Informationen
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Literaturhinweis
How do European firms adjust their labour costs when nominal wages are rigid? (2012)
Babecký, Jan; Messina, Julián; Du Caju, Philip; Rõõm, Tairi; Kosma, Theodora; Lawless, Martina;Zitatform
Babecký, Jan, Philip Du Caju, Theodora Kosma, Martina Lawless, Julián Messina & Tairi Rõõm (2012): How do European firms adjust their labour costs when nominal wages are rigid? In: Labour economics, Jg. 19, H. 5, S. 792-801. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2012.03.010
Abstract
"Although workers' nominal wages are seldom cut, firms have multiple options available if they require adjustments in their wage bills. We broaden the analysis of relative (in)flexibility in labour costs by investigating the use of other margins of labour cost adjustment at the firm level beyond base wages. Using data from a unique survey, we find that European firms make extensive use of other components of compensation to adjust the cost of labour. Interestingly, firms facing base wage rigidity are more likely to use alternative margins of labour cost adjustment; therefore there appears to be some degree of substitutability between wage flexibility and the flexibility of other cost components. Changes in bonuses and non-pay benefits are some of the potentialmargins firms use to reduce costs. We also show howthe margins of adjustment chosen are affected by unionisation and firm and worker characteristics." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Business cycles and wage rigidity (2012)
Bartolucci, Cristian;Zitatform
Bartolucci, Cristian (2012): Business cycles and wage rigidity. In: Labour economics, Jg. 19, H. 4, S. 568-583. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2012.05.004
Abstract
"In this paper, we analyze the impact of downward wage rigidity on the labor market dynamics. We shows that imposing downward wage rigidity in a matching model with cyclical fluctuations in productivity, endogenous match-destruction, and on-the-job search, quits are procyclical and layoffs countercyclical. Using the European Community Household Panel (ECHP), we provide evidence that downward wage rigidity is empirically relevant in ten European countries. Finally, we show that layoffs are countercyclical and quits are procyclical, as predicted by the model." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Wages, implicit contracts, and the business cycle: evidence from a European panel (2012)
Bellou, Andriana; Kaymak, Baris;Zitatform
Bellou, Andriana & Baris Kaymak (2012): Wages, implicit contracts, and the business cycle. Evidence from a European panel. In: Labour economics, Jg. 19, H. 6, S. 898-907. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2012.08.003
Abstract
"We study the joint behavior of hours and wages over the business cycle in a unique panel of 13 European countries, and document significant history dependence in wages. Workers who experience favorable market conditions during their tenure on the job have higher wages, and work fewer labor hours. Unobserved differences in productivity, such as varying job quality, or match-specific productivity are not likely to explain this variation. The results instead point to the importance of contractual arrangements in wage determination. In economies with decentralized bargaining practices, such arrangements resemble self-enforcing insurance contracts with one-sided commitment (by the employer). On the other hand, in countries with strong unions and centralized wage bargaining, wage behavior is better approximated by full-commitment insurance contracts. The co-movement of hours and wages further confirms a contractual framework with variable worker hours. Despite the strong prevalence of contracts in Europe, however, the elasticity of labor supply is considerably smaller compared to the U.S. labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Sticky wages: evidence from quarterly microeconomic data (2012)
Bihan, Hervé Le; Montornès, Jérémi; Heckel, Thomas;Zitatform
Bihan, Hervé Le, Jérémi Montornès & Thomas Heckel (2012): Sticky wages: evidence from quarterly microeconomic data. In: American Economic Journal. Macroeconomics, Jg. 4, H. 3, S. 1-32. DOI:10.1257/mac.4.3.1
Abstract
"Using an original micro-dataset from France, we investigate nominal wage stickiness. Nominal wage changes are found to occur at a quarterly frequency of around 38 percent over our sample period, and to be to a large extent staggered across establishments, and very synchronized within establishments. We carry out an econometric analysis of wage changes based on a two-threshold sample selection model. Our results are that the timing of wage adjustments is time-dependent as opposed to state-dependent, there is evidence of predetermination in wage changes, and both backward and forward-looking behavior is relevant in wage setting." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Wage rigidity or fiscal redistribution: the credibility issue (2012)
Domingues dos santos, Manon; Lehmann, Etienne;Zitatform
Domingues dos santos, Manon & Etienne Lehmann (2012): Wage rigidity or fiscal redistribution. The credibility issue. In: Economics Bulletin, Jg. 32, H. 4, S. 2801-2807.
Abstract
"We show that lack of commitment in the policymaking process may explain the prevalence of the minimum wage to redistribute income, despite its negative impact on unemployment. In the absence of commitment, firms anticipate the government's willingness to use a minimum wage policy to reduce the tax collecting costs implied by fiscal transfers. This expectation leads to a reduction in the labor demand that generates unemployment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Firms' price and wage adjustment in Europe: survey evidence on nominal stickiness (2012)
Druant, Martine; Fabiani, Silvia; Kezdi, Gabor; Sabbatini, Roberto; Martins, Fernando; Lamo, Ana;Zitatform
Druant, Martine, Silvia Fabiani, Gabor Kezdi, Ana Lamo, Fernando Martins & Roberto Sabbatini (2012): Firms' price and wage adjustment in Europe. Survey evidence on nominal stickiness. In: Labour economics, Jg. 19, H. 5, S. 772-782. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2012.03.007
Abstract
"This paper presents new evidence on the patterns of price and wage adjustment in European firms and on the extent of nominal rigidities. It uses a unique dataset collected through a firm-level survey conducted in 17 European countries and covering various sectors. Several conclusions are drawn from this evidence. Firms adjust wages less frequently than prices, on average every 15 and 10 months, respectively. Price and, especially, wage adjustment exhibit a substantial degree of time-dependence. In particular, wage changes tend to cluster at a specific time of the year, mostly January in the majority of countries. The results of a multivariate analysis indicate that prices are more flexible when competitive pressures in product markets are strong and when labor costs account for a lower fraction of firms' total costs,whereas wages are more flexible when bargaining is decentralized and when the coverage of collective bargaining and the stringency of employment protection legislation are low. Price rigidities are higher in firms with a larger share of high-skilled/white-collar workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Sectoral differences in downward real wage rigidity: workforce composition, institutions, technology and competition (2012)
Zitatform
Du Caju, Philip, Catherine Fuss & Ladislav Wintr (2012): Sectoral differences in downward real wage rigidity: workforce composition, institutions, technology and competition. In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 45, H. 1, S. 7-22. DOI:10.1007/s12651-012-0100-3
Abstract
"Dieser Artikel untersucht, ob die branchenspezifischen Unterschiede in der Lohnstarrheit durch Unterschiede in der Arbeitskraftstruktur, Tariflohnverhandlung, Technologie und Wettbewerb hervorgerufen werden. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, personen- und firmenbezogenen Daten einer belgischen Sozialversicherungsstatistik von 1990 bis 2002 benutzend, dass die Abwärtsreallohnstarrheit höher für Angestellte, niedriger für ältere und besser verdienende Beschäftigte ist. Jenseits der durch die Arbeitskräftezusammensetzung bedingten Auswirkungen zeigen wir, dass Löhne in Branchen mit vorherrschend zentralisierter Lohnbildung auf Branchenebene im Vergleich zu Übereinkünften auf Firmenebene eine höhere Lohnstarrheit aufweisen. Gleiches gilt für arbeits- und wettbewerbsintensivere Branchen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
The role of wage setting institutions on wage cyclicality: some unexpected patterns from Germany (2012)
Zitatform
Gartner, Hermann, Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel (2012): The role of wage setting institutions on wage cyclicality. Some unexpected patterns from Germany. In: VOX H. 22.09.2012, S. 1-4.
Abstract
"It is often argued that trade unions lead to higher wages but, according to the findings presented in this column, collective bargaining cannot be blamed for sticky wages in Germany during the 1990s." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Transition dynamics in an AK growth model under wage rigidity (2012)
Greiner, Alfred;Zitatform
Greiner, Alfred (2012): Transition dynamics in an AK growth model under wage rigidity. In: Mathematical Social Sciences, Jg. 63, H. 1, S. 50-56. DOI:10.1016/j.mathsocsci.2011.09.005
Abstract
"In this paper, we analyze the so-called AK endogenous growth model with persistent unemployment due to wage rigidities that result from labor market imperfections. We demonstrate that the existence of a balanced growth path implies that it is unique or that there exist two balanced growth paths, depending on the structural parameters of the model. The balanced growth path associated with the higher growth rate is saddle point stable, whereas the path yielding the lower long-run growth rate is either stable or unstable. Further, we show that a Hopf bifurcation may arise, giving rise to persistent limit cycles." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
From wage rigidity to labour market institution rigidity: a turning-point in explaining unemployment? (2012)
Guerrazzi, Marco; Meccheri, Nicola;Zitatform
Guerrazzi, Marco & Nicola Meccheri (2012): From wage rigidity to labour market institution rigidity. A turning-point in explaining unemployment? In: The Journal of Socio-Economics, Jg. 41, H. 2, S. 189-197. DOI:10.1016/j.socec.2011.12.001
Abstract
"In this paper we offer a critical discussion about the concept of labour market rigidity in the light of recent theoretical approaches that have aimed to provide sound micro-foundations to the presence of unemployment in market economies. We point out that the concept of labour market rigidity usually referred to in such theories has changed over time, involving in succession the rigidity of wages, contracts and labour market institutions. We also appraise the factors that lead labour market institutions rigidity, stressed by the search literature, to challenge the more widespread explanation of unemployment grounded on wage rigidity. Moreover, we analyse some theoretical and empirical issues that cast doubt on the ability to deal with unemployment, disentangling the role of institutional rigidities from that of wage stickiness." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Wage rigidity and job creation (2012)
Haefke, Christian; Sonntag, Marcus; Rens, Thijs van;Zitatform
Haefke, Christian, Marcus Sonntag & Thijs van Rens (2012): Wage rigidity and job creation. (CEPR discussion paper 8968), London, 44 S.
Abstract
"Recent research in macroeconomics emphasizes the role of wage rigidity in accounting for the volatility of unemployment fluctuations. We use worker-level data from the CPS to measure the sensitivity of wages of newly hired workers to changes in aggregate labor market conditions. The wage of new hires, unlike the aggregate wage, is volatile and responds almost one-to-one to changes in labor productivity. We conclude that there is little evidence for wage stickiness in the data. We also show, however, that a little wage rigidity goes a long way in amplifying the response of job creation to productivity shocks." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
International outsourcing and wage rigidity (2012)
Horgos, Daniel;Zitatform
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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Literaturhinweis
Measuring what employers do about entry wages over the business cycle: a new approach (2012)
Zitatform
Martins, Pedro S., Gary Solon & Jonathan P. Thomas (2012): Measuring what employers do about entry wages over the business cycle. A new approach. In: American Economic Journal. Macroeconomics, Jg. 4, H. 4, S. 36-55. DOI:10.1257/mac.4.4.36
Abstract
"Rigidity in real hiring wages plays a crucial role in some recent macroeconomic models. But are hiring wages really so noncyclical? We propose using employer/employee longitudinal data to track the cyclical variation in the wages paid to workers newly hired into specific entry jobs. Illustrating the methodology with 1982-2008 data from the Portuguese census of employers, we find real entry wages were about 1.8 percent higher when the unemployment rate was 1 percentage point lower. Like most recent evidence on other aspects of wage cyclicality, our results suggest that the cyclical elasticity of wages is similar to that of employment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Downward nominal wage rigidity in a cross section: an analysis of linked employer-employee data for the years 1995 to 2007 (2012)
Zitatform
Stüber, Heiko (2012): Downward nominal wage rigidity in a cross section. An analysis of linked employer-employee data for the years 1995 to 2007. In: Economics Bulletin, Jg. 32, H. 2, S. 1797-1812., 2012-06-27.
Abstract
"Applying unconditional quantile regression to a linked employer-employee dataset from Germany, I show that downward nominal wage rigidity (DNWR) affects workers not only at the lower tail of the wage change distribution but over the entire distribution. The effect of the inflation rate on the workers' wage changes differs between and within the percentiles of the wage change distribution. The effect is conditional on the workers' individual characteristics and on the firm characteristics, and the conditional effects also differ over the wage change distribution." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Does downward nominal wage rigidity dampen wage increases? (2012)
Zitatform
Stüber, Heiko & Thomas Beissinger (2012): Does downward nominal wage rigidity dampen wage increases? In: European Economic Review, Jg. 56, H. 4, S. 870-887., 2012-02-15. DOI:10.1016/j.euroecorev.2012.02.013
Abstract
"Focusing on the compression of wage cuts, many empirical studies find a high degree of downward nominal wage rigidity (DNWR). However, the resulting macroeconomic effects seem to be surprisingly weak. This contradiction can be explained within an intertemporal framework in which DNWR not only prevents nominal wage cuts but also induces firms to compress wage increases. We analyze whether a compression of wage increases occurs when DNWR is binding by applying Unconditional Quantile Regression and Seemingly Unrelated Regression to a dataset comprising more than 169 million wage changes. We find evidence of a compression of wage increases and only very small effects of DNWR on average real wage growth. The results indicate that DNWR does not provide a strong argument against low inflation targets." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Are real entry wages rigid over the business cycle?: Empirical evidence for Germany from 1977 to 2009 (2012)
Zitatform
Stüber, Heiko (2012): Are real entry wages rigid over the business cycle? Empirical evidence for Germany from 1977 to 2009. (IAB-Discussion Paper 06/2012), Nürnberg, 35 S.
Abstract
"Bisher gibt es wenig empirische Evidenz darüber, wie die Reallöhne neu eingestellter Arbeitnehmer auf den Konjunkturzyklus reagieren. Dieses Papier analysiert für Deutschland das zyklischen Verhaltens realer Einstiegslöhne unter Kontrolle von Arbeitnehmer/Arbeitgeber-Paarungen. Es zeigt sich, dass ein Anstieg der Arbeitslosenquote um einen Prozentpunkt zu etwa 1,27 Prozent niedrigeren realen Einstiegslöhnen führt. In Anbetracht dieser Volatilität scheint es, dass die Einführung von Lohnrigidität in das Mortensen-Pissarides-Modell, um realistische Volatilitäten der Arbeitslosigkeit zu erzeugen, nicht durch die empirischen Befunde gestützt wird." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Downward nominal wage rigidity and gender (2011)
Anspal, Sten; Järve, Janno;Zitatform
Anspal, Sten & Janno Järve (2011): Downward nominal wage rigidity and gender. In: Labour, Jg. 25, H. 3, S. 370-385. DOI:10.1111/j.1467-9914.2011.00519.x
Abstract
"We test whether there are gender differences in downward rigidity, using Kahn's histogramlocation method and longitudinal registry data on all formally employed persons from the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. The results show that women resist pay cuts less than men. Also, in circumstances of increasing unemployment women's opposition to pay cuts decreases substantially, whereas men's attitudes towards pay cuts are not significantly affected by labour market conditions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Sustainable capitalism: full-employment flexicurity growth with real wage rigidities (2011)
Asadra, Toichiro; Greiner, Alfred; Proano, Christian; Flaschel, Peter;Zitatform
Asadra, Toichiro, Peter Flaschel, Alfred Greiner & Christian Proano (2011): Sustainable capitalism: full-employment flexicurity growth with real wage rigidities. In: Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Jg. 77, H. 3, S. 248-264.
Abstract
"In dieser Studie stellen wir ein Flexicurity-Kapitalismus-Modell mit einem zweiten Arbeitsmarkt und dem Staat als einem 'employer of first resort' vor, in dem alle Arbeiter, die nicht im privaten Sektor beschäftigt sind, eine sinnvolle Beschäftigung finden. Wir zeigen, dass das Modell durch ein asymptotisch stabiles Gleichgewicht gekennzeichnet ist unter einer Reallohn-Anpassungsdynamik, wie analysiert in Blanchard und Katz (1999), und unter einem Typ von Okuns Gesetz, das den Auslastungsgrad in den Firmen zu ihrer 'hiring and firing'-Entscheidung in Verbindung setzt. Es konnte auch gezeigt werden, dass die Einführung eines Pensionsfonds der Unternehmen zur Viabilität des untersuchten ökonomischen Systems beiträgt. Dennoch führt die Einführung von Kredit in das Modell dazu, dass anstatt angebotsseitigen, von Ersparnissen getriebenen Konjunkturzyklen nachfrageseitige, von Investitionsnachfrage getriebene Fluktuationen (von einer wahrscheinlich volatileren Art) stattfinden können." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Wage rigidity, collective bargaining and the minimum wage: evidence from French agreement data (2011)
Avouyi-Dovi, Sanvi; Fougère, Denis; Gautier, Erwan;Zitatform
Avouyi-Dovi, Sanvi, Denis Fougère & Erwan Gautier (2011): Wage rigidity, collective bargaining and the minimum wage. Evidence from French agreement data. (IZA discussion paper 5835), Bonn, 34 S.
Abstract
"Using several unique data sets on wage agreements at both the firm- and the industry-levels in France, we examine the impact of typical European wage-setting institutions on the form and the degree of wage rigidity. We highlight different stylized facts concerning wage stickiness. First, in France, the typical duration of a wage agreement is one year. Consequently, a Taylor (1980) -type model appears to reproduce appropriately the distribution of agreement durations. Some 30 percent of settlements stipulate several predetermined wage changes during the year following the date of signature of the agreement. The frequency of wage agreements is highly seasonal, but the dates at which agreements take effect are more staggered. The date at which the national minimum wage level is revised each year has a significant impact on the timetable of wage agreements, both at the firm- and at the industry-levels. Wage increases negotiated at these two levels mainly depend on the inflation regime, the firm profitability and the proportion of minimum-wage workers in the same industry." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))