IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/canjec/v53y2020i3p1016-1058.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Wage inequality, skill‐specific unemployment and trade liberalization

Author

Listed:
  • Seda Koymen‐Ozer

Abstract

Labour market outcomes of trade liberalization are at the heart of the policy debate. In this model, the long‐run effects of trade liberalization and trade‐induced skill‐biased technological change on wage inequality and unemployment are studied by augmenting a heterogeneous firm trade model with job search and unemployment. In the model, there are two types of workers—skilled and unskilled—and two types of technologies—low and high. Firms draw their productivities from a common distribution and, conditional on their productivity, decide on the entry, export and type of technology. Then they post the optimal number of vacancies and engage in individual wage bargaining with workers. In the case of two symmetric partners, trade liberalization leads more firms to enter foreign markets while leading the least‐productive firms to exit. Moreover, with lower technology‐adoption costs and/or a higher initial level of liberalization, more firms upgrade their technology after a reduction in variable trade cost. The redistribution of market shares toward more‐productive firms increases the demand for both skilled and unskilled workers. This, in turn, raises wages and reduces unemployment rates for both types of workers. Nevertheless, trade liberalization has asymmetric wage effects on workers: it increases wage inequality in favour of skilled workers. Further, the unemployment rate in the skilled labour market falls to a greater extent, implying a change in the skill composition of unemployed workers in both trade partners. Résumé Inégalité salariale, chômage lié aux compétences spécialisées et libéralisation. Les conséquences de la libéralisation des échanges sur le marché du travail sont au cœur du débat politique. Dans ce modèle, nous étudions les effets à long terme de la libéralisation des échanges et des évolutions technologiques induites par le commerce, lesquelles favorisant les compétences spécialisées, à la fois sur les inégalités salariales et le chômage. À cette fin, nous avons augmenté un modèle commercial d’entreprises hétérogènes en y ajoutant la recherche d’emploi et l’inactivité professionnelle. Dans ce modèle, nous nous appuyons sur deux types de travailleurs, les travailleurs qualifiés et non qualifiés, et sur deux types de technologies, les technologies rudimentaires et les hautes technologies. Les entreprises tirent leur productivité d’une distribution commune, et en fonction de cette même productivité, peuvent décider de l’introduction, de l’exportation et du type de technologie. Ensuite, ces entreprises proposent un nombre optimal d’emplois à pourvoir et s’engagent dans une négociation salariale individuelle avec les travailleurs. Dans le cas de deux partenaires symétriques, la libéralisation des échanges conduit davantage d’entreprises à intégrer les marchés étrangers tout en poussant les moins productives à en sortir. De plus, avec des coûts d’adoption technologiques plus faibles et/ou avec un niveau de libéralisation initial plus élevé, de plus en plus d’entreprises modernisent leur technologie après avoir réduit leurs coûts commerciaux variables. La redistribution des parts de marché vers les entreprises les plus productives provoque une augmentation de la demande de travailleurs qualifiés et non qualifiés. Par voie de conséquence, les salaires augmentent et le taux de chômage diminue pour les deux types de travailleurs. Néanmoins, la libéralisation des échanges engendre un effet asymétrique quant au salaire des travailleurs car elle augmente les inégalités salariales en faveur des travailleurs les plus qualifiés. De plus, le taux de chômage des travailleurs qualifiés diminue bien davantage, modifiant ainsi la composition des compétences de la main d’œuvre des travailleurs sans emploi pour les deux partenaires commerciaux.

Suggested Citation

  • Seda Koymen‐Ozer, 2020. "Wage inequality, skill‐specific unemployment and trade liberalization," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 53(3), pages 1016-1058, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:53:y:2020:i:3:p:1016-1058
    DOI: 10.1111/caje.12453
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/caje.12453
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/caje.12453?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. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/7o52iohb7k6srk09n8t832o04 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Feenstra, Robert C. & Ma, Hong & Xu, Yuan, 2019. "US exports and employment," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 46-58.
    3. Andrew B. Bernard & Jonathan Eaton & J. Bradford Jensen & Samuel Kortum, 2003. "Plants and Productivity in International Trade," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(4), pages 1268-1290, September.
    4. Jørn Rattsø & Hildegunn E. Stokke, 2013. "Trade, Skill Biased Technical Change and Wage Inequality in South Africa," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 419-431, August.
    5. David Hummels & Jakob R. Munch & Chong Xiang, 2018. "Offshoring and Labor Markets," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(3), pages 981-1028, September.
    6. Ann Harrison & John McLaren & Margaret McMillan, 2011. "Recent Perspectives on Trade and Inequality," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 3(1), pages 261-289, September.
    7. James Albrecht & Susan Vroman, 2002. "A Matching Model with Endogenous Skill Requirements," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 43(1), pages 283-305, February.
    8. David H. Autor & David Dorn & Gordon H. Hanson, 2013. "The China Syndrome: Local Labor Market Effects of Import Competition in the United States," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(6), pages 2121-2168, October.
    9. Yeaple, Stephen Ross, 2005. "A simple model of firm heterogeneity, international trade, and wages," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 1-20, January.
    10. Christopher A. Pissarides & Barbara Petrongolo, 2001. "Looking into the Black Box: A Survey of the Matching Function," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 39(2), pages 390-431, June.
    11. Melitz, Marc J. & Redding, Stephen J., 2013. "Firm heterogeneity and aggregate welfare," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 51533, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Dutt, Pushan & Mitra, Devashish & Ranjan, Priya, 2009. "International trade and unemployment: Theory and cross-national evidence," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(1), pages 32-44, June.
    13. Krugman, Paul, 1980. "Scale Economies, Product Differentiation, and the Pattern of Trade," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(5), pages 950-959, December.
    14. Hartmut Egger & Udo Kreickemeier, 2017. "Firm Heterogeneity and the Labor Market Effects of Trade Liberalization," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: International Trade and Labor Markets Welfare, Inequality and Unemployment, chapter 10, pages 265-306, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    15. Monique Ebell & Christian Haefke, 2009. "Product Market Deregulation and the U.S. Employment Miracle," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 12(3), pages 479-504, July.
    16. Elhanan Helpman & Oleg Itskhoki & Stephen Redding, 2010. "Inequality and Unemployment in a Global Economy," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 78(4), pages 1239-1283, July.
    17. Bartelsman, Eric & Haltiwanger, John C. & Scarpetta, Stefano, 2004. "Microeconomic Evidence of Creative Destruction in Industrial and Developing Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 1374, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Paula Bustos, 2011. "Trade Liberalization, Exports, and Technology Upgrading: Evidence on the Impact of MERCOSUR on Argentinian Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(1), pages 304-340, February.
    19. Andrew B. Bernard & Stephen J. Redding & Peter K. Schott, 2007. "Comparative Advantage and Heterogeneous Firms," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 74(1), pages 31-66.
    20. John M. Abowd & Laurence Allain, 1996. "Compensation Structure and Product Market Competition," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 41-42, pages 207-217.
    21. Maria Bas, 2008. "Trade, technology adoption and wage inequalities: theory and evidence," Working Papers halshs-00586858, HAL.
    22. Robert Shimer, 2005. "The Cyclical Behavior of Equilibrium Unemployment and Vacancies," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(1), pages 25-49, March.
    23. Davis, Donald R. & Harrigan, James, 2011. "Good jobs, bad jobs, and trade liberalization," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 26-36, May.
    24. Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg & Nina Pavcnik, 2007. "Distributional Effects of Globalization in Developing Countries," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 45(1), pages 39-82, March.
    25. Christopher A. Pissarides, 2009. "The Unemployment Volatility Puzzle: Is Wage Stickiness the Answer?," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 77(5), pages 1339-1369, September.
    26. repec:adr:anecst:y:1996:i:41-42:p:09 is not listed on IDEAS
    27. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/7o52iohb7k6srk09n8t832o04 is not listed on IDEAS
    28. Bas, Maria, 2008. "Trade, technology adoption and wage inequalities: theory and evidence," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 28513, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    29. Daron Acemoglu, 2003. "Patterns of Skill Premia," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 70(2), pages 199-230.
    30. Alberto Behar, 2016. "The endogenous skill bias of technical change and wage inequality in developing countries," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(8), pages 1101-1121, November.
    31. Shapiro, Carl & Stiglitz, Joseph E, 1984. "Equilibrium Unemployment as a Worker Discipline Device," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 74(3), pages 433-444, June.
    32. Mark P. Moore & Priya Ranjan, 2005. "Globalisation vs Skill-Biased Technological Change: Implications for Unemployment and Wage Inequality," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 115(503), pages 391-422, 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. Dagmara Nikulin & Joanna Wolszczak-Derlacz & Aleksandra Parteka, 2021. "GVC and wage dispersion. Firm-level evidence from employee–employer database," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 16(2), pages 357-375, June.

    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. Felbermayr, Gabriel & Prat, Julien & Schmerer, Hans-Jörg, 2011. "Globalization and labor market outcomes: Wage bargaining, search frictions, and firm heterogeneity," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 146(1), pages 39-73, January.
    2. Elhanan Helpman & Oleg Itskhoki & Stephen Redding, 2010. "Inequality and Unemployment in a Global Economy," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 78(4), pages 1239-1283, July.
    3. Muendler, Marc-Andreas, 2017. "Trade, technology, and prosperity: An account of evidence from a labor-market perspective," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2017-15, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    4. Marco Pinto & Jochen Michaelis, 2014. "International Trade and Unemployment—the Worker-selection Effect," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 226-252, May.
    5. Felbermayr, Gabriel J. & Larch, Mario & Lechthaler, Wolfgang, 2012. "Endogenous labor market institutions in an open economy," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 30-45.
    6. Gabriel J. Felbermayr & Mario Larch & Wolfgang Lechthaler, 2013. "Unemployment in an Interdependent World," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 5(1), pages 262-301, February.
    7. Nicola Gagliardi & Benoît Mahy & François Rycx, 2020. "Trade, GVCs, and wage inequality: Theoretical and empirical insights," Reflets et perspectives de la vie économique, De Boeck Université, vol. 0(2), pages 115-134.
    8. Melitz, Marc J. & Redding, Stephen J., 2014. "Heterogeneous Firms and Trade," Handbook of International Economics, in: Gopinath, G. & Helpman, . & Rogoff, K. (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 0, pages 1-54, Elsevier.
    9. Krishna, Pravin & Poole, Jennifer P. & Senses, Mine Zeynep, 2014. "Wage Effects of Trade Reform with Endogenous Worker Mobility," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 239-252.
    10. Kondo, Illenin O., 2018. "Trade-induced displacements and local labor market adjustments in the U.S," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 180-202.
    11. Larch Mario & Lechthaler Wolfgang, 2011. "Comparative Advantage and Skill-Specific Unemployment," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-58, April.
    12. David Hummels & Jakob R. Munch & Chong Xiang, 2018. "Offshoring and Labor Markets," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(3), pages 981-1028, September.
    13. Fu, Dahai & Wu, Yanrui, 2013. "Export wage premium in China's manufacturing sector: A firm level analysis," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 182-196.
    14. Andrew B. Bernard & J. Bradford Jensen & Stephen J. Redding & Peter K. Schott, 2012. "The Empirics of Firm Heterogeneity and International Trade," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 4(1), pages 283-313, July.
    15. Juan Carluccio & Denis Fougère & Erwan Gautier, 2015. "Trade, Wages and Collective Bargaining: Evidence from France," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 0(584), pages 803-837, May.
    16. Admasu Shiferaw & Degol Hailu, 2016. "Job creation and trade in manufactures: industry-level analysis across countries," IZA Journal of Labor & Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-36, December.
    17. Antràs, Pol & de Gortari, Alonso & Itskhoki, Oleg, 2017. "Globalization, inequality and welfare," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 387-412.
    18. Pavcnik, Nina & Goldberg, Pinelopi, 2016. "The Effects of Trade Policy," CEPR Discussion Papers 11104, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    19. Harris, Richard G. & Robertson, Peter E., 2013. "Trade, wages and skill accumulation in the emerging giants," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(2), pages 407-421.
    20. Gabriel Felbermayr & Giammario Impullitti & Julien Prat, 2018. "Firm Dynamics and Residual Inequality in Open Economies," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 16(5), pages 1476-1539.

    More about this item

    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:wly:canjec:v:53:y:2020:i:3:p:1016-1058. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1111/(ISSN)1540-5982 .

    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.