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Wage inequality in workers’ cooperatives and conventional firms

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  • Nathalie Magne

Abstract

The author evaluates the effects of democratic worker participation on the income distribution within firms. Wage inequality in French workers’ cooperatives (called SCOPs) versus traditional firms is measured using the 2001-2012 panel DADS dataset which includes all French firms. The author finds significantly lower inequality in SCOPs, in line with the previous empirical literature. Going into more detail, it appears that inequality is reduced at the top of the distribution and specifically regarding qualification-based inequalities; the gender gap and the advantage of senior workers are not lower in SCOPs. These findings contribute to the literature on Labor-Managed Firms, as well as to the broader debate on rising wage inequality in developed countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathalie Magne, 2017. "Wage inequality in workers’ cooperatives and conventional firms," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 14(2), pages 303-329, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:liu:liucej:v:14:y:2017:i:2:p:303-329
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Lamarche & Catherine Bodet, 2020. "Les coopératives comme espaces méso critiques," Working Papers hal-02462804, HAL.
    2. Bonache, Jaime & Zárraga-Oberty, Celia, 2020. "Compensating international mobility in a workers’ cooperative: An interpretive study," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(5).
    3. Burdin, Gabriel & Garcia-Louzao, Jose, 2023. "Employee-Owned Firms and the Careers of Young Workers," IZA Discussion Papers 15880, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Worker cooperatives; inequality; wage equation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J54 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Producer Cooperatives; Labor Managed Firms
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • P13 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Cooperative Enterprises

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