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Evidence on Nominal Wage Rigidity from a Panel of U.S. Manufacturing Industries

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  • Ghosal, Vivek
  • Loungani, Prakash

Abstract

We provide a set of stylized facts on the response of industry nominal wage growth to aggregate and industry-specific influences using annual data for 450 U.S. manufacturing industries over the period 1958 to 1989. We find support for the canonical wage contracts model the response of nominal wage growth to expected inflation is estimated to be between 0.6 and 0.8. This estimate holds for several sectors within manufacturing. The response of nominal wage growth to unexpected inflation is around 0.1, indicating a striking departure from the 'classical' assumption of full indexation. We also find support for the multisector wage indexation models. The estimated profit-sharing elasticity is positive as hypothesized in these models. The instrumental variable estimates of the profit-sharing elasticity are typically between 0.1 and 0.2. Copyright 1996 by Ohio State University Press.

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  • Ghosal, Vivek & Loungani, Prakash, 1996. "Evidence on Nominal Wage Rigidity from a Panel of U.S. Manufacturing Industries," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 28(4), pages 650-668, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:mcb:jmoncb:v:28:y:1996:i:4:p:650-68
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    1. Ghosal, Vivek, 2002. "Potential foreign competition in US manufacturing," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 20(10), pages 1461-1489, December.
    2. Duca, John V. & Vanhoose, David D., 1998. "The Rise of Goods-Market Competition and the Decline in Wage Indexation: A Macroeconomic Approach," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 579-598, July.
    3. Duca, John V. & VanHoose, David D., 1998. "Goods-market competition and profit sharing: a multisector macro approach," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(6), pages 525-534, November.
    4. Christopher Hanes, 2000. "Nominal Wage Rigidity and Industry Characteristics in the Downturns of 1893, 1929, and 1981," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(5), pages 1432-1446, December.
    5. David D. VanHoose, 2004. "The New Open Economy Macroeconomics: A Critical Appraisal," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 193-215, April.
    6. Daniels, Joseph P. & VanHoose, David D., 2006. "Openness, the sacrifice ratio, and inflation: Is there a puzzle?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(8), pages 1336-1347, December.
    7. Duca, John V. & Van Hoose, David D., 2001. "The Rise of Goods-Market Competition and the Fall of Nominal Wage Contracting: Endogenous Wage Contracting in a Multisector Economy," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 1-29, January.

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