Wages and Informality in Developing Countries

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2015
Volume: 105
Issue: 4
Pages: 1509-46

Score contribution per author:

2.681 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

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

Abstract

We develop an equilibrium wage-posting model with heterogeneous firms that decide to locate in the formal or the informal sector and workers who search randomly on and off the job. We estimate the model on Brazilian labor force survey data. In equilibrium, firms of equal productivity locate in different sectors, a fact observed in the data. Wages are characterized by compensating differentials. We show that tightening enforcement does not increase unemployment and increases wages, total output, and welfare by enabling better allocation of workers to higher productivity jobs and improving competition in the formal labor market. (JEL E26, J24, J31, J46, O15, O17)

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:105:y:2015:i:4:p:1509-46
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-26