Der Sonderfall Schweiz: Verlauf und Bestimmungs faktoren der Lohnquote in der Schweiz, 1980– 2012

This paper shows that Switzerland is an exception concerning the labour share of national income: it is one of the very few developed countries which, since 1980, display an increasing labour share. Based on evidence from Swiss firms, this study examines the reasons for the persistence of Switzerland’s labour share. We provide four explanations: i) no structural shifts towards industries with below-average labor shares as observed in other developed countries; ii) a slow rate of technical progress; iii) enduring labour shortages; and iv) a comparatively skilled workforce. However, extrapolations extending observed trends in the determinants of the labour share until 2020 indicate that Switzerland’s labour share might decline in the years to come.