Just how low are China's labour costs?

被引:47
作者
Ceglowski, Janet [1 ]
Golub, Stephen
机构
[1] Bryn Mawr Coll, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 USA
[2] Swarthmore Coll, Swarthmore, PA 19081 USA
关键词
D O I
10.1111/j.1467-9701.2007.01006.x
中图分类号
F8 [财政、金融];
学科分类号
0202 ;
摘要
This paper provides a new perspective on Chinese international competitiveness in manufacturing using relative unit labour costs. We find that Chinese unit labour costs are about 25-40 per cent of US labour costs. They are also low relative to costs in the EU, Japan, Mexico, Korea and most other newly industrialising countries. However, China's relative unit labour costs indicate a substantially smaller cost advantage than that implied by a comparison of wages alone. China's cost advantage derives from large currency devaluations that preceded the establishment of a de facto peg around 1995, and rapid productivity growth in the period since 1995. © 2007 The AuthorsJournal compilation © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
引用
收藏
页码:597 / 617
页数:21
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