Inter-Industry Wage Differentials: What Do We Know?

Substantial wage differentials are observed in all countries between workers employed in different sectors. How can we explain these wage differentials? Do they entirely derive from the sectoral diversity in personal productive characteristics and task descriptions or do employer features also play a role? Are inter-industry wage differentials smaller in countries with centralised and coordinated collective bargaining? Are they shaped by international trade and product market regulations? What is their impact on gender and other types of inequality? Do they affect economic performance? These are the main questions that we address in this review of the literature.JEL Code: J31.