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Inter-firm dependency and employment inequalities : Theoretical hypotheses and empirical tests

Author

Listed:
  • Corinne Perraudin

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CEE - Centre d'études de l'emploi - M.E.N.E.S.R. - Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche - Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Santé, SAMOS - Statistique Appliquée et MOdélisation Stochastique - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)

  • Héloïse Petit

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CEE - Centre d'études de l'emploi - M.E.N.E.S.R. - Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche - Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Santé)

  • Nadine Thevenot

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Bruno Tinel

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Julie Valentin

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

This article highlights the importance of power relations in inter-firm relations and analyses their impact on firms' employment management practices. We show, firstly, that the use of subcontracting creates a chain of inter-firm economic dependency because it leads the principal contractor to plan and control the activities of the subcontractors. We then advance the hypothesis that this chain of dependency influences both the skill structure and wage levels. Empirical tests carried out on French data confirm that firms that subcontract outsource execution tasks and that the hierarchy of firms impacts employees' wage levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Corinne Perraudin & Héloïse Petit & Nadine Thevenot & Bruno Tinel & Julie Valentin, 2009. "Inter-firm dependency and employment inequalities : Theoretical hypotheses and empirical tests," Post-Print halshs-00375550, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00375550
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00375550
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Subcontracting; skills; wages; power relation; Sous-traitance; qualifications; salaires; pouvoir; rapport de force;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L24 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Contracting Out; Joint Ventures
    • J82 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Labor Force Composition
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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