世界银行-全球价值链在工人任务和工资不平等中的作用（英）-2023.5-34页_521kb

Summary: The Role of Global Value Chains for Worker Tasks and Wage Inequality

This paper analyzes the relationship between participation in global value chains (GVCs), routine task intensity (RTI) of workers, and within-country wage inequality using a unique dataset from 47 countries. The empirical evidence reveals several key findings:

• GVC Participation and Routine Task Intensity: Forward GVC participation is positively correlated with higher RTI among workers, particularly in offshorable occupations and lower-income countries. Backward GVC participation shows no significant correlation with RTI. Sector analysis indicates that in the industrial sector, higher GVC participation is associated with more routine-intensive tasks in offshorable jobs, while in business services, it correlates with less routine-intensive work in non-offshorable occupations.

• Impact on Wage Inequality: GVC participation contributes to wage inequality through both direct and indirect channels. Indirectly, higher GVC participation increases RTI, which is linked to lower wages, widening inequality. Directly, GVCs reduce wage inequality in most low- and middle-income countries by benefiting workers receiving offshored jobs, but widen inequality in high-income countries, where they primarily boost wages for non-offshorable service workers. The indirect effect is stronger in high-income nations, while direct reduction is more pronounced in developing economies.

• Policy Implications: The findings stress the importance of investments in education and skills to mitigate labor market effects from technological change and GVC integration. Such policies are crucial for fostering shared prosperity, as RTI differences are largely driven by technology adoption and GVC participation.

This analysis underscores the complex, country-specific effects of GVCs, highlighting needs for nuanced approaches to support workers amid globalization and automation.