Citation

Discussion Paper Details

Please find the details for DP13785 in an easy to copy and paste format below:

Full Details   |   Bibliographic Reference

Full Details

Title: Trading Up and the Skill Premium

Author(s): Nir Jaimovich, Sérgio Rebelo, Arlene Wong and Miao Zhang

Publication Date: June 2019

Keyword(s): growth, inequality, Quality and skill premium

Programme Area(s): Macroeconomics and Growth

Abstract: We study the impact on the skill premium of increases in the quality of goods consumed by households ("trading up"). Our empirical work shows that high- quality goods are more intensive in skilled labor than low-quality goods and that household spending on high-quality goods rises with income. We propose a model consistent with these facts. This model accounts for the past rise in the skill premium with more plausible rates of skill-biased technical change than those required by the canonical model. It also implies that an expansion of the skilled labor force reduces the skill premium by much less than in the canonical model.

For full details and related downloads, please visit: https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=13785

Bibliographic Reference

Jaimovich, N, Rebelo, S, Wong, A and Zhang, M. 2019. 'Trading Up and the Skill Premium'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=13785