IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/iab/iabjlr/v58part.09.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of global value chains on wages, employment, and productivity: a survey of theoretical approaches

Author

Listed:
  • Szymczak, Sabina

    (Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland)

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))

Suggested Citation

  • Szymczak, Sabina, 2024. "The impact of global value chains on wages, employment, and productivity: a survey of theoretical approaches," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 58, pages 1-9.
    • Handle: RePEc:iab:iabjlr:v:58:p:art.09
    DOI: 10.1186/s12651-024-00367-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12651-024-00367-w
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s12651-024-00367-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee, Eunhee & Yi, Kei-Mu, 2018. "Global value chains and inequality with endogenous labor supply," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 223-241.
    2. T. Gries & R. Grundmann & I. Palnau & M. Redlin, 2017. "Innovations, growth and participation in advanced economies - a review of major concepts and findings," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 293-351, April.
    3. Giancarlo Corsetti & Paolo Pesenti, 2001. "Welfare and Macroeconomic Interdependence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 116(2), pages 421-445.
    4. Loe Franssen, 2019. "Global Value Chains And Relative Labour Demand: A Geometric Synthesis Of Neoclassical Trade Models," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 1232-1256, September.
    5. Ari Van Assche & Byron Gangnes, . "Global value chains and the fragmentation of trade policy coalitions," UNCTAD Transnational Corporations Journal, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    6. Ben G. Li & Yibei Liu, 2018. "The Production Life Cycle," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 120(4), pages 1139-1170, October.
    7. Ronald W. Jones & Henryk Kierzkowski, 2018. "International Fragmentation and the New Economic Geography," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: International Trade Theory and Competitive Models Features, Values, and Criticisms, chapter 17, pages 281-293, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    8. Steven Brakman & Charles van Marrewijk, 2022. "Tasks, occupations and slowbalisation: on the limits of fragmentation [Global value chains]," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 15(2), pages 407-436.
    9. Andrew Jia-Yi Kam, 2013. "International production networks and host country productivity: evidence from Malaysia," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 27(1), pages 127-146, May.
    10. Dazhong Cheng & Zhiguo Xiao, 2021. "Producer Services and Productivity: A Global Value Chain Perspective," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 67(2), pages 418-444, June.
    11. Iffat Batool Naqvi & Zahid Ali Memon, 2018. "Upgrading of developing countries industrial clusters' firms: conceptual-theoretical framework," International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(4), pages 420-440.
    12. Dev Nathan, 2021. "From Monopoly to Monopsony Capitalism," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 64(4), pages 843-866, December.
    13. Mukherjee, Soumyatanu, 2017. "Input trade reform and wage inequality," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 145-156.
    14. Murat A. Yülek & Gilberto Santos, 2022. "Why Income Gaps Persist: Productivity Gaps, (No-)Catch-up and Industrial Policies in Developing Countries," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(1), pages 158-183, January.
    15. Lian Cai & Yabin Zhang & Zhenguo Wang & Zijian Liu, 2023. "Does the rise of global value chain position increase or reduce domestic income inequality?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(49), pages 5833-5845, October.
    16. T. Gries & R. Grundmann & I. Palnau & M. Redlin, 2018. "Technology diffusion, international integration and participation in developing economies - a review of major concepts and findings," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 215-253, January.
    17. Igor Drapkin & Anna Fedyunina & Yuri Simachev, . "GVC spillovers on total factor productivity of local firms: evidence from the Russian Federation," UNCTAD Transnational Corporations Journal, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    18. Sudeshna Mitra & Kausik Gupta, 2020. "Fragmentation, Skill Formation And International Capital Mobility," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 65(02), pages 335-350, March.
    19. Wenxiao Wang & Christopher Findlay & Shandre Thangavelu, 2021. "Trade, technology, and the labour market: impacts on wage inequality within countries," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 35(1), pages 19-35, May.
    20. Jens Gammelgaard & Frank McDonald & Heinz Tüselmann & Christoph Dörrenbächer & Andreas Stephan, 2009. "Subsidiary Role and Skilled Labour Effects in Small Developed Countries," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 27-42, February.
    21. Venables, Anthony J., 1999. "Fragmentation and multinational production," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(4-6), pages 935-945, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Magdalena Olczyk & Marjan Petreski, 2024. "From Global Value Chains to Local Jobs: Exploring FDI-induced Job Creation in EU-27," Papers 2410.04160, arXiv.org.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sabina Szymczak, 2023. "Systematic literature review: theory on GVCs' impact on wages, employment, and productivity," GUT FME Working Paper Series A 71, Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdansk University of Technology.
    2. Nowak, Jean-Jacques & Petit, Sylvain & Sahli, Mondher, 2010. "Tourism and Globalization: The International Division of Tourism Production," MPRA Paper 75083, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. João Amador & Sónia Cabral, 2014. "Global Value Chains: Surveying Drivers, Measures and Impacts," Working Papers w201403, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    4. Andrzej Cieślik, 2008. "Wpływ przedsiębiorstw międzynarodowych na fragmentaryzację produkcji i handel wewnątrzgałęziowy Polski z krajami OECD," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 10, pages 1-21.
    5. Amador, João & Cabral, Sónia, 2009. "Vertical specialization across the world: A relative measure," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 267-280, December.
    6. Dirk Steffen & Ingo Pitterle, 2004. "Spillover Effects of Fiscal Policy Under Flexible Exchange Rates," Econometric Society 2004 Australasian Meetings 286, Econometric Society.
    7. Saygılı, Hülya, 2017. "Production fragmentation and factor price convergence," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 535-544.
    8. Choudhri, Ehsan U. & Hakura, Dalia S., 2015. "The exchange rate pass-through to import and export prices: The role of nominal rigidities and currency choice," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 1-25.
    9. Masashige Hamano & Francesco Pappadà, 2023. "Exchange Rate Policy and Firm Heterogeneity," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 71(3), pages 759-790, September.
    10. De Paoli, Bianca & Küçük-Tuğer, Hande & Søndergaard, Jens, 2010. "Monetary policy rules and foreign currency positions," Bank of England working papers 403, Bank of England.
    11. Carolina Lennon, 2008. "Trade in services and trade in goods: differences and complementarities," Working Papers halshs-00586223, HAL.
    12. Tervala, Juha, 2013. "Learning by devaluating: A supply-side effect of competitive devaluation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 275-290.
    13. Aleksandra Parteka & Joanna Wolszczak-Derlacz, 2020. "Wage response to global production links: evidence for workers from 28 European countries (2005–2014)," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 156(4), pages 769-801, November.
    14. Gul ERTAN OZGUZER & Luca PENSIEROSO, 2009. "Worthy Transfers ? A Dynamic Analysis of Turkey’s Accession to the European Union," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2009029, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    15. Obstfeld, Maurice & Rogoff, Kenneth, 2000. "New directions for stochastic open economy models," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 117-153, February.
    16. Andersen, Torben M., 2008. "Heterogenous wage formation under a common monetary policy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 740-771, July.
    17. Jinill Kim & Andrew T. Levin & Tack Yun, 2008. "Relative Price Distortion and Optimal Monetary Policy in Open Economies," Korean Economic Review, Korean Economic Association, vol. 24, pages 5-31.
    18. Adolfson, Malin & Laseen, Stefan & Linde, Jesper & Villani, Mattias, 2007. "Bayesian estimation of an open economy DSGE model with incomplete pass-through," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 481-511, July.
    19. Jordi Galí, 2008. "Monetary Policy and the Open Economy," Introductory Chapters, in: Monetary Policy, Inflation, and the Business Cycle: An Introduction to the New Keynesian Framework, Princeton University Press.
    20. Lilia Cavallari, 2001. "Current Account and Exchange Rate Dynamics," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 30(1), pages 27-51, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ausland ; Außenhandelstheorie ; Auswirkungen ; Beschäftigungseffekte ; Einkommenseffekte ; internationale Arbeitsteilung ; Lohntheorie ; Niedriglohnland ; outsourcing ; Produktivitätseffekte ; Arbeitsmarkttheorie ; Wertschöpfung;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • F60 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:iab:iabjlr:v:58:p:art.09. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: IAB, Geschäftsbereich Wissenschaftliche Fachinformation und Bibliothek (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iabbbde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.