کد مقاله | کد نشریه | سال انتشار | مقاله انگلیسی | نسخه تمام متن |
---|---|---|---|---|
5034401 | 1471626 | 2017 | 14 صفحه PDF | دانلود رایگان |
- Evidence suggests that social comparisons matter for workers' valuation of wages.
- An oligopsonistic model of the labor market with wage comparisons is developed.
- Economic consequences of social comparisons in oligopsony are analysed.
- Results have implications for estimates of labor supply elasticities facing a firm.
A large body of evidence suggests that social comparisons matter for workers' valuation of the wage they receive. The consequences of social comparisons in imperfectly competitive labor markets are less well understood. We analyze an oligopsonistic model of the labor market where workers derive (dis-)utility from comparing their own wage with wages paid at other firms. As social comparisons become more prevalent all workers are paid higher wages, the wage distribution becomes more equal, and employment shifts to high productivity firms. Moreover, the total wage bill and output increase, while aggregate profits decline. Overall welfare rises. Our theoretical results have implications for estimating the elasticity of the labor supply curve facing a firm.
Journal: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization - Volume 141, September 2017, Pages 196-209