The distribution of income, the rate of pay raises, and the mobility of
employees is crucial to understanding labor economics. Although research
abounds on the distribution of wages across individuals in the economy,
wage differentials within firms remain a mystery to economists. The
first effort to examine linked employer-employee data across countries,
The Structure of Wages: An International Comparison analyzes labor
trends and their institutional background in the United States and eight
European countries.
A distinguished team of contributors reveal how a rising wage variance
rewards star employees at a higher rate than ever before, how talent
becomes concentrated in a few firms over time, and how outside market
conditions affect wages in the twenty-first century. From a comparative
perspective that examines wage and income differences within and between
countries such as Denmark, Italy, and the Netherlands, this volume will
be required reading for economists and those working in industrial
organization.