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Importing Jobs and Exporting Firms? On the Wage and Employment Implications of Italian Trade and Foreign Direct Investment Flows

Author

Listed:
  • Riccardo Faini

    (IMF and University of Brescia)

  • Anna M. Falzoni

    (University of Bergamo and Bocconi University)

  • Marzio Galeotti

    (University of Bergamo)

  • Rodolfo Helg

    (LIUC)

  • Alessandro Turrini

    (University of Bergamo and Bocconi University)

Abstract

International economic integration is often blamed for the deteriorating fortunes of unskilled workers in industrial countries. We look at the labor market impact of trade and foreign direct investment in the case of Italy. Our empirical framework allows for trade, technology and factor supply effects. We find that international trade did not contribute to Italian labor market problems. Indeed, given that Italy holds quite a distinct pattern of trade specialization, compared to other industrialized countries, international integration as reflected in falling import prices may have boosted the demand for labor there. We also argue that the inability of the Mezzogiorno’s economy to adjust to the changing international environment is one of the main stumbling blocks in Italian economy. Finally, we find that greater firms’ mobility may have weakened the power of trade unions and contributed to wage moderation.

Suggested Citation

  • Riccardo Faini & Anna M. Falzoni & Marzio Galeotti & Rodolfo Helg & Alessandro Turrini, 1999. "Importing Jobs and Exporting Firms? On the Wage and Employment Implications of Italian Trade and Foreign Direct Investment Flows," Giornale degli Economisti, GDE (Giornale degli Economisti e Annali di Economia), Bocconi University, vol. 58(1), pages 95-135, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gde:journl:gde_v58_n1_p95-135
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Hakkala, Katariina & Heyman, Fredrik & Sjöholm, Fredrik, 2007. "Cross-Border Acquisitions, Multinationals and Wage Elasticities," Working Paper Series 709, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    2. Giovanni S.F. Bruno & Anna M. Falzoni & Rodolfo Helg, 2004. "Measuring the effect of globalization on labour demand elasticity: An empirical application to OECD countries," KITeS Working Papers 153, KITeS, Centre for Knowledge, Internationalization and Technology Studies, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy, revised Feb 2004.
    3. Anna M. Falzoni & Alessandra Venturini & Claudia Villosio, 2004. "Wage Differentials and International Trade in Italy Using Individual Micro Data 1991-1996," Development Working Papers 190, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    4. Paolo Manasse & Luca Stanca, 2002. "Working on the Train: Technology, Trade and Wages in Italian Manufacturing," Working Papers 61, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Nov 2002.
    5. Ludo Cuyvers & Michel Dumont & Glenn Rayp & Katrien Stevens, 2005. "Home Employment Effects of EU Firms’ Activities in Central and Eastern European Countries," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 153-174, April.
    6. Katariina Nilsson Hakkala & Fredrik Heyman & Fredrik Sjöholm, 2010. "Multinationals, skills, and wage elasticities," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 146(2), pages 263-280, June.
    7. Deschryvere, Matthias & Kotiranta, Annu, 2008. "Domestic Employment Effects of Offshoring: Empirical Evidence from Finland," Discussion Papers 1166, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    8. Manasse, Paolo & Stanca, Luca & Turrini, Alessandro, 2004. "Wage premia and skill upgrading in Italy: why didn't the hound bark?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 59-83, February.
    9. Bushra Yasmin & Aliya H. Khan, 2005. "Trade Liberalisation and Labour Demand Elasticities: Empirical Evidence for Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 44(4), pages 1067-1089.
    10. Anna M. Falzoni & Alessandra Venturini & Claudia Villosio, 2007. "Skilled and Unskilled Wage Dynamics in Italy in the ‘90s: Changes in the individual characteristics, institutions, trade and technology," LABORatorio R. Revelli Working Papers Series 61, LABORatorio R. Revelli, Centre for Employment Studies.
    11. Bratti, Massimiliano & Leombruni, Roberto, 2014. "Local human capital externalities and wages at the firm level: Evidence from Italian manufacturing," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 161-175.
    12. Vallanti, Giovanna, 2005. "Capital mobility and unemployment dynamics: evidence from a panel of OECD countries," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 19897, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    13. Giorgio Barba Navaretti & Daniele Checchi & Alessandro Turrini, 2003. "Adjusting Labor Demand: Multinational Versus National Firms: A Cross-European Analysis," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 1(2-3), pages 708-719, 04/05.
    14. Massimiliano Bratti & Giulia Felice, 2012. "Are Exporters More Likely to Introduce Product Innovations?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(11), pages 1559-1598, November.
    15. Enrico Marelli & Giuseppe Porro, 2000. "Flexibility and innovation in regional labour markets: The case of Lombardy," Departmental Working Papers 2000-08, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.
    16. Kokko, Ari, 2006. "The Home Country Effects Of Fdi In Developed Economies," EIJS Working Paper Series 225, Stockholm School of Economics, The European Institute of Japanese Studies.
    17. Nathalie Chusseau & Michel Dumont & Joël Hellier, 2008. "Explaining Rising Inequality: Skill‐Biased Technical Change And North–South Trade," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 409-457, July.
    18. Bratti, Massimiliano & Leombruni, Roberto, 2009. "Local Human Capital Externalities and Wages at the Firm Level: The Case of Italian Manufacturing," IZA Discussion Papers 4613, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    international trade; foreign direct investment; wages; employment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

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