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Wage Differentials between Foreign Multinationals and Local Plants and Worker Quality in Malaysian Manufacturing

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  • Ramstetter, Eric D.

Abstract

Using industrial census data for 2000, and smaller sets of survey data for 2001-2004, this paper examines the extent of wage differentials between medium-large (20 or more workers) foreign multinational enterprises (MNEs) and local plants in Malaysia’s manufacturing industries. On average, wages in sample MNEs were higher than in local plants by two-fifths or more. MNEs also hired higher shares of workers in highly paid occupations and with moderate or high education, in addition to being more capital intensive and relatively large. Results from large samples of 17 manufacturing industries combined suggest that statistically significant MNE-local differentials of 5-9 percent persisted even after accounting for differences in worker occupation, education, and sex, plant capital intensity and size, as well as the influences of yearly fluctuations, industry affiliation, and plant location on the constants estimated. When MNE-local differentials and all slopes are allowed to vary among the 17 industries, positive and significant differentials were observed in all estimates for six industries: food and beverages, chemicals, rubber, general machinery, electrical machinery, and furniture. Positive and significant differentials were also observed in most estimates for another five industries. However, the size and significance of these differentials often varied depending on the industry and sample examined, as well as the estimation technique used.

Suggested Citation

  • Ramstetter, Eric D., 2013. "Wage Differentials between Foreign Multinationals and Local Plants and Worker Quality in Malaysian Manufacturing," AGI Working Paper Series 2013-22, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:agi:wpaper:00000095
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    Cited by:

    1. Ramstetter, Eric D., 2017. "How important are SOEs and MNEs in Vietnam’s economy?," AGI Working Paper Series 2017-09, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    2. Kien Trung Nguyen & Eric D. Ramstetter, 2017. "Wage Differentials among Ownership Groups and Worker Quality in Vietnamese Manufacturing," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(3), pages 232-250, July.
    3. Kien Trung Nguyen & Eric D. Ramstetter, 2019. "Ownership-Related Wage Differentials By Occupation In Vietnamese Manufacturing," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 64(03), pages 625-645, June.
    4. Eric D. Ramstetter, 2014. "Wage Differentials between Foreign Multinationals and Local Plants and Worker Quality in Malaysian Manufacturing," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 31(2), pages 55-76, September.
    5. Eric D. , Ramstetter, 2016. "Experiences with Foreign Workers in Singapore and Malaysia: What are the Lessons for Japan's Labor Markets?," AGI Working Paper Series 2016-06, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    6. Ramstetter, Eric D., 2018. "Foreign Ownership and Exports of Thai Manufacturing Plants by Industry in 1996," AGI Working Paper Series 2018-05, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    7. Ramstetter, Eric D. & Narjoko, Dionisius, 2013. "Wage Differentials between Foreign Multinationals and Local Plants and Worker Education in Indonesian Manufacturing," AGI Working Paper Series 2013-23, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    8. Thuyen, Truong Thi Ngoc & Jongwanich, Juthathip & Ramstetter, Eric D., 2017. "Trade protection and productivity differentials between multinationals and local firms in Vietnamese manufacturing," AGI Working Paper Series 2017-01, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    9. Ramstetter, Eric D., 2014. "Exporting, Education, and Wage Differentials between Foreign Multinationals and Local Plants in Indonesian and Malaysian Manufacturing," AGI Working Paper Series 2014-03, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    10. Ramstetter, Eric D., 2017. "Foreign Workers, Foreign Multinationals, and Wages after Controlling for Occupation and Sex in Malaysia’s Manufacturing Plants during the mid-1990s," AGI Working Paper Series 2017-13, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    11. Ramstetter, Eric D., 2018. "Foreign Multinationals and Vietnamese Firm Exports, 2010-2013," AGI Working Paper Series 2018-04, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    12. Ramstetter, Eric D., 2016. "Multinational Enterprise Growth and Vietnam's Employment and Wages in Manufacturing and Trade Industries: Did Takeovers Play a Role?," AGI Working Paper Series 2016-05, Asian Growth Research Institute.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Multinational corporations; Southeast Asia; manufacturing; wage determination;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East

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