Inmaculada Plaza García

Wage flexibility: evidence from five EU countries based on the wage curve

Abstract This paper examines wage flexibility in five EU countries by estimating their respective wage curves. Using information provided by a homogeneous panel data set—the ECHP—we are able to demonstrate that, contrary to the habitual finding, the wage elasticity to unemployment in fact varies across countries.

Inter-regional wage differentials in Spain

The paper analyses the wage differentials among different Spanish regions. Hedonic wage equations are first formulated for those regions and then the wage decomposition method is applied, which allows separation of the effects due to characteristics from those due to returns. The results show that in the Centre and South, half of the wage differential corresponds to each concept, whereas in the North and East the difference is due more to the different remuneration than to the different characteristics. The variables that exert greatest influence on the characteristic differences are seniority, possessing a university degree, the command of a second language, the sector of activity, the supervisory tasks undertaken and the occupation. With respect to the different returns, the largest differences correspond to remuneration for seniority, a second language, the sector of activity, the working hours and discrimination by gender.

Household labour supply with rationing in Spain

This paper provides new empirical evidence on household labour supply with rationing. To that end, we use the latest Spanish data in order to estimate three flexible functional forms, namely the NLES, the quadratic and the Hausman - Ruud forms and calculate the income and wage elasticities. We find that the number of dependants has a negative effect on the labour supply of the female. Moreover, the North and the East Spanish regions have a clearly positive effect on the labour supply of the female, whilst the North has the same effect on that of the male. The elasticities of three functional forms are very similar. Male labour supply is slightly decreasing with the wage, whilst for the female it is increasing. Leisure is a normal good for both spouses, as expected, whilst the labour hours are net substitutes.

Regional Wage Flexibility: the Wage Curve in Five EU Countries

In this piece of research, we estimate wage curves for five EU member states using homogenous information provided in panel data set (the ECHP) to appraise wage flexibility. Whereas typical estimation concentrates solely on the relationship between current wages and current unemployment rate, we also consider the influence of lagged values of unemployment rates -the unemployment rate at the moment of hiring, and the minimum unemployment rate since the moment of hiring- to take into account the possibility of wages being flexible upwards, but sticky downwards. Results show that, first, wage flexibility does vary across countries and, second, that the traditional view of the wage curve as representing a spot labour market is valid only for one of the countries analysed, the UK.

A household model of charitable contributions and tax incentives

The aim of this paper is to present a theoretical model of the monetary contributions made by households to nonprofit organizations, and to analyse the effect of tax incentives according to the different tax systems currently in force in the European Union Member States. This model is estimated by means of data drawn from the Family Expenditure Survey and the Regional Accounts in Spain covering the period 1990–91. We analyse the effects that different variables and tax incentives have on household decisions. The results indicate that the decisions to donate, and how much to be donated, are taken sequentially and are significantly influenced by household characteristics, the provision of public funds and donation price. The analysis of the Spanish tax system indicates that the model generates donation incentives.

Family model of contributions to non-profit organizations and labour supply

In this article a model is presented in which the family decides the labour supply of both spouses and their time donations to non-profit organizations. For the estimation, Spanish data was used which showed that family size and pre-school children influence decisions made about time distribution of husband and wife. Women with fewer family responsibilities work longer hours and donate more time, whilst the effect on men is the contrary. Also, monetary donations by the family are directly related to time donations by the spouses.

Intra-family distribution of paid-work time

This article analyses the intra-family distribution of paid-work time in five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK). To that end, we formulate a collective model, which allows us to characterize the efficient labour supply decisions of each spouse. This two-equation model is then simultaneously estimated by using national panel data drawn from the European Community Household Panel-ECHP (1994–2001). Empirical results clearly show that, in all sample countries, the labour supply of wives is affected by own wages, household and own nonlabour incomes and the number of children, whereas evidence for husbands differs across countries.

Lessons Learned in the Use of WIRIS Quizzes to Upgrade Moodle to Solve Electrical Circuits

WIRIS quizzes are an online mathematics tool for educational purposes that upgrade Moodle quizzes and allow the development of personalized quizzes using random data and conditional instructions. WIRIS quizzes can be used in any mathematics or science degree; their complex operators allow it to be used to solve electrical circuits. This tool promotes autonomous student learning and enables teachers to monitor that learning and make adjustments if necessary. Therefore, this tool improves teaching quality. It can also be used as an assessment tool by both the teacher and the student. This paper shows how WIRIS quizzes have been integrated into the virtual campus of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), Spain, to teach electrical circuits. Lessons learned in performing and using WIRIS quizzes with second-year students at the UPC are shown.

How do workers decide their jobs? The influence of income, wage and job characteristics

This paper provides results on the economic decision-making process of Spanish workers, who decide their jobs from the effects of variations in the non-wage income, the wage and the prices of non-pecuniary job characteristics. To that end, we formulate a non-separable generalization of the Linear Expenditure System (NLES) as a joint model of labor supply and job characteristics demand, estimated separately for both males and females, using a 1991 Spanish survey. The main results show that: (i) some job characteristics have a positive effect on the wage, whereas others have a negative effect; (ii) the average percentage effect of employer size and the complexity index are higher for males than for females, with the fatal accident risk displaying similar values; (iii) if the non-wage income of every worker increases, these individuals will prefer to devote less hours to work, and will also prefer jobs in smaller companies and with a lower risk; and (iv) if the wage and hedonic prices of non-pecuniary job characteristics increase, then both males and females will prefer to reduce their labor supply, and devote their available time to jobs in bigger firms, with a higher risk and complexity. Copyright

Is income a good welfare indicator for Spanish households? A comparison between both distributions

This paper compares the income and welfare distribution of Spanish households, with the objective of determining whether the first is a good indicator of the second. We consider different inequality measures of both adjusted income and welfare. The results show that the income ranking does not represent the welfare ranking of households and, secondly, that monetary inequality is higher than welfare inequality, which gives support to the idea that leisure time has a compensating effect on household welfare.