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Average wage, qualification of the workforce and export performance in German enterprises: evidence from KombiFiD data
[Durchschnittslohn, Belegschaftsqualifikation und Exporttätigkeit in deutschen Unternehmen: Empirische Befunde mit den KombiFiD-Daten]

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  • Joachim Wagner

    (Leuphana University Lueneburg)

Abstract

Empirical investigations with enterprise level data from official statistics often use the average wage as a proxy variable for the qualification of the workforce, mostly due to the lack of detailed information on the qualification of the employees. This paper uses unique newly available data for German enterprises from the KombiFiD project that for the first time combine information from the statistics of employees covered by social security and information from surveys performed by the Statistical Offices to look at the quality of this proxy variable by investigating the link between the average wage in a firm and the qualification of the workforce. Furthermore, it demonstrates that detailed information on the qualification of the workforce sheds new light on the role of highly qualified employees for success on export markets that is not revealed by the average wage as a proxy variable. Based on the results of this paper it is argued that combined firm level data that stem from different data producers should be widely accessible for research.

Suggested Citation

  • Joachim Wagner, 2012. "Average wage, qualification of the workforce and export performance in German enterprises: evidence from KombiFiD data [Durchschnittslohn, Belegschaftsqualifikation und Exporttätigkeit in deutschen," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 45(2), pages 161-170, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jlabrs:v:45:y:2012:i:2:d:10.1007_s12651-012-0106-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s12651-012-0106-x
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    1. Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Higher Wages in Exporting Firms: Self-selection, Export Effect, or Both? First Evidence from Linked Employer–Employee Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 6, pages 215-241, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Munch, Jakob Roland & Skaksen, Jan Rose, 2008. "Human capital and wages in exporting firms," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 363-372, July.
    3. Joachim Wagner, 2010. "Estimated Capital Stock Values for German Manufacturing Enterprises Covered by the Cost Structure Surveys," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 130(3), pages 403-408.
    4. Chad Syverson, 2011. "What Determines Productivity?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 49(2), pages 326-365, June.
    5. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Productivity: A Survey of the Evidence from Firm Level Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 1, pages 3-41, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Delgado, Miguel A. & Farinas, Jose C. & Ruano, Sonia, 2002. "Firm productivity and export markets: a non-parametric approach," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(2), pages 397-422, August.
    7. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "International Trade and Firm Performance: A Survey of Empirical Studies since 2006," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 2, pages 43-87, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    8. Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Do Exporters Really Pay Higher Wages? First Evidence from German Linked Employer–Employee Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 5, pages 177-213, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    9. Helpman, Elhanan, 2011. "Understanding Global Trade," Economics Books, Harvard University Press, number 9780674060784, Spring.
    10. Marc J. Melitz, 2003. "The Impact of Trade on Intra-Industry Reallocations and Aggregate Industry Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(6), pages 1695-1725, November.
    11. Hethey-Maier, Tanja & Seth, Stefan, 2010. "Das Betriebs-Historik-Panel (BHP) 1975-2008 : Handbuch Version 1.0.2 (Establishment-History-Panel (BHP) 1975-2008)," FDZ Datenreport. Documentation on Labour Market Data 201004_de, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
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    13. Andrew Bernard & Joachim Wagner, 2001. "Export entry and exit by German firms," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 137(1), pages 105-123, March.
    14. Alda, Holger & Bender, Stefan & Gartner, Hermann, 2005. "The linked employer-employee dataset of the IAB (LIAB)," IAB-Discussion Paper 200506, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
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    Cited by:

    1. Joachim Wagner, 2014. "Credit constraints and exports: evidence for German manufacturing enterprises," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(3), pages 294-302, January.
    2. Joachim Wagner, 2017. "R&D Activities and Extensive Margins of Exports in Manufacturing Enterprises: First Evidence for Germany," The International Trade Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 232-244, May.
    3. Antoni, Manfred & Janser, Markus & Lehmer, Florian, 2015. "The hidden winners of renewable energy promotion: Insights into sector-specific wage differentials," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 595-613.
    4. Fernández-Olmos, Marta & Díez-Vial, Isabel, 2013. "Effect of firm’s resources on international diversification: An application in the Iberian Ham industry," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 196-208.
    5. Joachim Wagner, 2017. "Intra-good trade in Germany: a first look at the evidence," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(57), pages 5753-5761, December.
    6. Jun Du & Yama Temouri, 2015. "High-growth firms and productivity: evidence from the United Kingdom," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 123-143, January.
    7. Wagner Joachim, 2016. "Still Different After All These Years Extensive and Intensive Margins of Exports in East and West German Manufacturing Enterprises," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 236(2), pages 297-322, March.
    8. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Credit Constraints and Margins of Import: First Evidence for German Manufacturing Enterprises," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 13, pages 423-452, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    9. Orlic, Edvard & Hashi, Iraj & Hisarciklilar, Mehtap, 2018. "Cross sectoral FDI spillovers and their impact on manufacturing productivity," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 777-796.
    10. Stephan Humpert, 2013. "Gender Differences in Life Satisfaction and Social Participation," International Journal of Business and Economic Sciences Applied Research (IJBESAR), Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), Kavala Campus, Greece, vol. 6(3), pages 123-142, December.
    11. Schwiebert, Jörg & Wagner, Joachim, 2015. "A Generalized Two-Part Model for Fractional Response Variables with Excess Zeros," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113059, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    12. Arta Mulliqi & Nick Adnett & Mehtap Hisarciklilar & Artane Rizvanolli, 2018. "Human Capital and International Competitiveness in Europe, with Special Reference to Transition Economies," Eastern European Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(6), pages 541-563, November.
    13. Ahmed Fayez Abdelgouad, 2016. "Exporting and Workforce Skills-Intensity in the Egyptian Manufacturing Firms: Empirical Evidence Using World Bank Firm-Level Data for Egypt," Working Paper Series in Economics 358, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    14. Francisco Rodrigues & Nuno Tavares & Gabriel Osório Barros, 2021. "Drivers of exceptional job creation – a dynamic probit approach using portuguese firm-level data," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 20(1), pages 45-69, January.
    15. Campos-García, Irene & Muñoz-Bullón, Fernando & Sanchez-Bueno, Maria J. & Zúñiga-Vicente, José Angel, 2020. "Exploring the exporting-downsizing link: Does the type of export strategy and firm efficiency in foreign markets matter?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 324-336.
    16. Tjaša Bartolj, 2023. "Should Firms Strive for the Educational Diversity of the Workforce? Estimation of the Impact of Firms’ Educational Structure on Sales Growth and Exports," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, February.
    17. König Corinna & Sakshaug Joseph W. & Stegmaier Jens & Kohaut Susanne, 2021. "Trends in Establishment Survey Nonresponse Rates and Nonresponse Bias: Evidence from the 2001-2017 IAB Establishment Panel," Journal of Official Statistics, Sciendo, vol. 37(4), pages 931-953, December.
    18. Corinna König & Joseph W. Sakshaug, 2023. "Nonresponse trends in establishment panel surveys: findings from the 2001–2017 IAB establishment panel," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 57(1), pages 1-17, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Qualification of workforce; average wage; export; firm level data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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