Employer size-wage effects : evidence from matched employer-employee survey data in the UK
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Applied Economics
Publication Date
2-20-2004
Volume
36
Issue
3
First Page
185
Last Page
193
Abstract
This paper employs a random sample of matched employer - employee data from the UK to test seven possible explanations for the positive relationship between employer size and pay. Individual wage equations show a large employer size wage premium. We then control for a range of establishment-level variables, based on seven hypotheses typically advanced to explain this premium. Each establishment-level factor reduces the wage premium, but a sizeable premium nonetheless remains. In adjudicating on these hypotheses, we find a strong association between the internal labour market and the employer size - wage premium. This finding supports the theory that the employer size - wage effect may be due to the higher costs of turnover or monitoring in larger firms. However, we find contrasting effects for public versus private sector establishments.
DOI
10.1080/0003684042000175316
Print ISSN
00036846
E-ISSN
14664283
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2004 Taylor & Francis Ltd
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Belfield, C. R., & Wei, X. (2004). Employer size-wage effects: Evidence from matched employer-employee survey data in the UK. Applied Economics, 36(3), 185-193. doi: 10.1080/0003684042000175316