The nonlinear link between height and wages in Germany, 1985-2004

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Autoren

  • Olaf Hübler
Forschungs-netzwerk anzeigen

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)191-199
Seitenumfang9
FachzeitschriftEconomics and human biology
Jahrgang7
Ausgabenummer2
Frühes Online-Datum26 Juni 2009
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Juli 2009

Abstract

Based on data of the German Socio-Economic Panel, this article investigates the relationship between height and wages by gender. Unlike previous investigations, which have been limited to an examination of linear effects, this one finds that height influences on wages are curvilinear, and more so for men than for women. More specifically, it finds that women who are shorter than average and men who are somewhat taller than average, but not among the tallest, enjoy significant wage advantages. Furthermore, using Blinder's decomposition to determine two components of wage differences, we find that these differences can be partitioned into an endowment component and unexplained influences (discrimination). There is a difference between the public and private sectors and between men and women as to the degree of the latter effect. This investigation supports the hypothesis that short and very tall men employed in the private sector are disadvantaged the most. The outcome for women is less robust than for men.

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Zitieren

The nonlinear link between height and wages in Germany, 1985-2004. / Hübler, Olaf.
in: Economics and human biology, Jahrgang 7, Nr. 2, 07.2009, S. 191-199.

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Hübler O. The nonlinear link between height and wages in Germany, 1985-2004. Economics and human biology. 2009 Jul;7(2):191-199. Epub 2009 Jun 26. doi: 10.1016/j.ehb.2009.06.003
Hübler, Olaf. / The nonlinear link between height and wages in Germany, 1985-2004. in: Economics and human biology. 2009 ; Jahrgang 7, Nr. 2. S. 191-199.
Download
@article{0cd42d0791244e34a16f87f553d85ae5,
title = "The nonlinear link between height and wages in Germany, 1985-2004",
abstract = "Based on data of the German Socio-Economic Panel, this article investigates the relationship between height and wages by gender. Unlike previous investigations, which have been limited to an examination of linear effects, this one finds that height influences on wages are curvilinear, and more so for men than for women. More specifically, it finds that women who are shorter than average and men who are somewhat taller than average, but not among the tallest, enjoy significant wage advantages. Furthermore, using Blinder's decomposition to determine two components of wage differences, we find that these differences can be partitioned into an endowment component and unexplained influences (discrimination). There is a difference between the public and private sectors and between men and women as to the degree of the latter effect. This investigation supports the hypothesis that short and very tall men employed in the private sector are disadvantaged the most. The outcome for women is less robust than for men.",
keywords = "Discrimination, Germany, Height, Men, Nonlinearity, Private and public sector, Wages, Women",
author = "Olaf H{\"u}bler",
year = "2009",
month = jul,
doi = "10.1016/j.ehb.2009.06.003",
language = "English",
volume = "7",
pages = "191--199",
journal = "Economics and human biology",
issn = "1570-677X",
publisher = "Elsevier",
number = "2",

}

Download

TY - JOUR

T1 - The nonlinear link between height and wages in Germany, 1985-2004

AU - Hübler, Olaf

PY - 2009/7

Y1 - 2009/7

N2 - Based on data of the German Socio-Economic Panel, this article investigates the relationship between height and wages by gender. Unlike previous investigations, which have been limited to an examination of linear effects, this one finds that height influences on wages are curvilinear, and more so for men than for women. More specifically, it finds that women who are shorter than average and men who are somewhat taller than average, but not among the tallest, enjoy significant wage advantages. Furthermore, using Blinder's decomposition to determine two components of wage differences, we find that these differences can be partitioned into an endowment component and unexplained influences (discrimination). There is a difference between the public and private sectors and between men and women as to the degree of the latter effect. This investigation supports the hypothesis that short and very tall men employed in the private sector are disadvantaged the most. The outcome for women is less robust than for men.

AB - Based on data of the German Socio-Economic Panel, this article investigates the relationship between height and wages by gender. Unlike previous investigations, which have been limited to an examination of linear effects, this one finds that height influences on wages are curvilinear, and more so for men than for women. More specifically, it finds that women who are shorter than average and men who are somewhat taller than average, but not among the tallest, enjoy significant wage advantages. Furthermore, using Blinder's decomposition to determine two components of wage differences, we find that these differences can be partitioned into an endowment component and unexplained influences (discrimination). There is a difference between the public and private sectors and between men and women as to the degree of the latter effect. This investigation supports the hypothesis that short and very tall men employed in the private sector are disadvantaged the most. The outcome for women is less robust than for men.

KW - Discrimination

KW - Germany

KW - Height

KW - Men

KW - Nonlinearity

KW - Private and public sector

KW - Wages

KW - Women

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67651202157&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.ehb.2009.06.003

DO - 10.1016/j.ehb.2009.06.003

M3 - Article

C2 - 19617009

AN - SCOPUS:67651202157

VL - 7

SP - 191

EP - 199

JO - Economics and human biology

JF - Economics and human biology

SN - 1570-677X

IS - 2

ER -