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The mightier, the stingier: Firms’ market power, capital intensity, and the labor share of income

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  • Adrjan, Pawel
Abstract
What determines the proportion of a firm’s income that workers receive as compensation? This paper uses longitudinal firm data from a period of substantial labor share variation to understand the firm-level determinants of the labor share of income—a question that has so far only been addressed with country- and sector-level data. Firms with greater market power and a higher ratio of capital to labor allocate a smaller proportion of their value added to workers. These results suggest that firm-level drivers play a key role in the evolution of the aggregate labor share, which have declined significantly since the 1970s.

Suggested Citation

  • Adrjan, Pawel, 2018. "The mightier, the stingier: Firms’ market power, capital intensity, and the labor share of income," MPRA Paper 83925, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:83925
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Xuefeng Qian & Kalsoom Rafique & Yingna Wu, 2020. "Flying with the Dragon: Estimating Developing Countries’ Gains from China's Imports," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 28(5), pages 1-25, September.
    2. Lawless, Martina & Rehill, Mark, 2020. "Productivity dispersion and sectoral labour shares in Europe," Papers WP659, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    3. Bellocchi, Alessandro & Marin, Giovanni & Travaglini, Giuseppe, 2023. "The labor share puzzle: Empirical evidence for European countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    4. Machin, Stephen & Bell, Brian & Bukowski, Pawel, 2018. "Rent Sharing and Inclusive Growth," CEPR Discussion Papers 13408, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Mondolo, Jasmine, 2020. "Macro and microeconomic evidence on investment, factor shares, firm and labor dynamics in Italy and in Trentino," MPRA Paper 99138, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Martina Lawless & Luke Rehill, 2022. "Market Power, Productivity and Sectoral Labour Shares in Europe," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 453-476, July.
    7. Francesco Bloise & Irene Brunetti & Valeria Cirillo, 2022. "Firm strategies and distributional dynamics: labour share in Italian medium-large firms," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 39(2), pages 623-655, July.
    8. Stiebale, Joel & Südekum, Jens & Woessner, Nicole, 2020. "Robots and the rise of European superstar firms," DICE Discussion Papers 347, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    9. Alessandro Bellocchi & Giovanni Marin & Giuseppe Travaglini, 2021. "The Great Fall of Labor Share:Micro Determinants for EU Countries Over 2011-2019," Working Papers 2102, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Economics, Society & Politics - Scientific Committee - L. Stefanini & G. Travaglini, revised 2021.
    10. Jens Suedekum & Nicole Woessner, 2019. "Robots & the Rise of European Superstar Firms," European Economy - Discussion Papers 118, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    11. Jakob Grazzini & Lorenza Rossi, 2020. "New Firms, Capital Intensity and the Labor Share: New Theoretical and Empirical Insights," CESifo Working Paper Series 8255, CESifo.
    12. Geoff Weir, 2018. "Wage Growth Puzzles and Technology," RBA Research Discussion Papers rdp2018-10, Reserve Bank of Australia.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor Share; Employee Compensation; Factor Income Distribution; Market Power; Capital Intensity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D33 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Factor Income Distribution
    • E25 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Aggregate Factor Income Distribution
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General

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