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Multinational Companies, Backward Linkages and Labour Demand Elasticities

Author

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  • Görg, Holger

    (Kiel Institute for the World Economy)

  • Henry, Michael

    (Aston University)

  • Strobl, Eric

    (University of Bern)

  • Walsh, Frank

    (University College Dublin)

Abstract

This paper investigates the link between nationality of ownership and wage elasticities of labour demand at the level of the plant. In particular, we examine whether labour demand in multinationals becomes less elastic with respect to the wage if the plant has backward linkages with the local economy. Our empirical evidence, based on a rich plant level dataset, shows that the extent of local linkages indeed generally reduces the wage elasticity of labour demand. This result is economically important and holds for a number of different specifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Görg, Holger & Henry, Michael & Strobl, Eric & Walsh, Frank, 2006. "Multinational Companies, Backward Linkages and Labour Demand Elasticities," IZA Discussion Papers 2506, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2506
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hakkala, Katariina & Heyman, Fredrik & Sjöholm, Fredrik, 2007. "Cross-Border Acquisitions, Multinationals and Wage Elasticities," Working Paper Series 709, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    2. Kate Hynes & Yum K. Kwan & Anthony Foley, 2017. "Local linkages: The interdependence of foreign and domestic firms," GRU Working Paper Series GRU_2017_006, City University of Hong Kong, Department of Economics and Finance, Global Research Unit.
    3. Sato, Hitoshi & Zhu, Lianming, 2014. "Tariff reductions and labor demand elasticities : evidence from Chinese firm-level data," IDE Discussion Papers 463, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    4. Olivier Godart & Holger Görg & David Greenaway, 2013. "Domestic multinationals, foreign affiliates, and labour demand elasticities," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 149(4), pages 611-630, December.
    5. Egger, Peter & Eggert, Wolfgang & Winner, Hannes, 2010. "Saving taxes through foreign plant ownership," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(1), pages 99-108, May.
    6. Buch, Claudia M. & Lipponer, Alexander, 2010. "Volatile multinationals? Evidence from the labor demand of German firms," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 345-353, April.
    7. Holger Görg & Michael Henry & Eric Strobl & Frank Walsh, 2009. "Multinational companies, backward linkages, and labour demand elasticities," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 42(1), pages 332-348, February.
    8. Ivan T. Kandilov & Mine Z. Senses, 2016. "The effects of wrongful discharge protection on foreign multinationals: Evidence from transaction‐level data," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 49(1), pages 111-146, February.
    9. Andreas Lichter & Andreas Peichl & Sebastian Siegloch, 2017. "Exporting and labour demand: Micro-level evidence from Germany," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 50(4), pages 1161-1189, November.
    10. Dobbelaere, Sabien & Kiyota, Kozo, 2018. "Labor market imperfections, markups and productivity in multinationals and exporters," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 198-212.
    11. Katariina Nilsson Hakkala & Fredrik Heyman & Fredrik Sjöholm, 2010. "Multinationals, skills, and wage elasticities," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 146(2), pages 263-280, June.
    12. Pablo Agnese & Pablo Salvador, 2012. "More alike than different: the Spanish and Irish labour markets before and after the crisis," IZA Journal of European Labor Studies, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-24, December.
    13. Michael Moritz & Bastian Stockinger & Merlind Trepesch, 2017. "Multinational Resilience or Dispensable Jobs? German FDI and Employment in the Czech Republic Around the Great Recession," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2017(3), pages 345-359.
    14. Lichter, Andreas & Peichl, Andreas & Siegloch, Sebastian, 2015. "The own-wage elasticity of labor demand: A meta-regression analysis," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 94-119.
    15. Jaanika Merikull & Tairi Room, "undated". "Are foreign-owned firms different ? Comparision of employment volatility and elasticity of labour demand," Bank of Estonia Working Papers wp2014-1, Bank of Estonia.
    16. Hynes, Kate & Kwan, Yum K. & Foley, Anthony, 2020. "Local linkages: The interdependence of foreign and domestic firms in Ireland," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 139-153.
    17. Sly, Nicholas & Soderbery, Anson, 2014. "Strategic sourcing and wage bargaining," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 172-187.
    18. Hanan Nazier, 2019. "Estimating Labor Demand Elasticities and Elasticities of Substitution in Egyptian Manufacturing Sector: A Firm-Level Static Analysis," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 62(4), pages 549-575, December.
    19. Hwan-Joo Seo & Han Sung Kim & Young Soo Lee, 2015. "Globalization and Labor Demand Elasticities: Empirical Evidence from Nine OECD Countries," Korean Economic Review, Korean Economic Association, vol. 31, pages 413-439.
    20. Ashraf, Ayesha, 2015. "The Effects of Greenfield FDI and Cross-Border M&As on Government Size," MPRA Paper 65061, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    21. Hijzen, Alexander & Swaim, Paul, 2010. "Offshoring, labour market institutions and the elasticity of labour demand," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(8), pages 1016-1034, November.
    22. Patrick Paul Walsh & Ciara Whelan, 2011. "Mr Whitaker and Industry: Setting the Record Straight–A Reply to Barry and Daly," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 42(2), pages 169-175.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    elasticities; labour demand; multinational companies; linkages;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production

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