Persistent income gaps in an occupational choice model with multi‐goods

Koichiro Sano and Yasunobu Tomoda

Australian Economic Papers, 2019, vol. 58, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: In this study, we propose a theory to explain why income gaps persist. We model a simple overlapping‐generations economy with three consumption goods and two types of workers. We find that high‐skilled workers have comparative advantage in skill‐intensive jobs and low‐skilled workers in less skill‐intensive jobs. This pattern of comparative advantage determines occupational choices by workers. Combined with human capital accumulation, the occupational choices widen income gaps between families. At the same time, the relative price of skill‐intensive goods declines owing to productivity improvement. The decline holds back income gaps from exploding. The implications of skill‐biased technological change are also examined.

Date: 2019
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https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8454.12137

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