What is a fair wage? Reference points, entitlements and gift exchange

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics
Year: 2016
Volume: 63
Issue: C
Pages: 125-135

Authors (4)

Bottino, Eleonora (not in RePEc) García-Muñoz, Teresa (not in RePEc) Goddio, Cintia (not in RePEc) Kujal, Praveen (Middlesex University)

Score contribution per author:

0.503 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We look at the effect of endogenous and exogenous wage setting institutions on wage offers and effort in the classic gift exchange experiments (Fehr et al., 1993). An exogenously imposed minimum wage at the competitive outcome lowers average wage offers. Workers do not negatively reciprocate and continue to offer high effort. In the endogenous wage setting institution, where workers first make wage proposals, wage offers increase marginally and average effort decreases relative to the baseline when wage proposals are not matched. Relative to the baseline, efficiency decreases in the minimum wage treatment while it marginally increases in the endogenous treatment. We find evidence that the institutional structure has important implications towards wage offers, effort and efficiency.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:soceco:v:63:y:2016:i:c:p:125-135
Journal Field
Experimental
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25