Capital-Skill Complementarity and Rigid Relative Wages: Inference from the Business Cycle

Jan Rose Skaksen, Anders Sørensen

Publikation: Working paperForskning

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Abstract

The relative demand for skills has increased considerably in many OECD countriesduring recent decades. This development is potentially explained by capital-skillcomplementarity and high growth rates of capital equipment. When productionfunctions are characterized by capital-skill complementarity, relative wages and employmentof skilled labor are countercyclical because capital equipment is a quasi-fixed factor in the short run. The exact behavior of the two variables depends onrelative wage flexibility. Relative wages are rigid in Denmark, implying that the employmentshare of skills should be countercyclical. The labor market is competitivein the United States and therefore relative wages of skilled labor are expected to becountercyclical. We find that the business cycle development of the two economiesis consistent with capital-skill complementarity.Keywords: capital-skill complementarity, relative wages, business cycle
OriginalsprogEngelsk
UdgivelsesstedFrederiksberg
UdgiverCopenhagen Business School, CBS
Antal sider29
StatusUdgivet - 2004
NavnWorking Paper / Department of Economics. Copenhagen Business School
Nummer10-2004

Emneord

  • USA
  • Danmark
  • Lønteori
  • Løn
  • Arbejdskraftens kvalifikationer
  • Kapitalteori
  • Produktionsfaktorer

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