Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 191-199 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Economics and human biology |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 26 Jun 2009 |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 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.
Keywords
- Discrimination, Germany, Height, Men, Nonlinearity, Private and public sector, Wages, Women
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance (miscellaneous)
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In: Economics and human biology, Vol. 7, No. 2, 07.2009, p. 191-199.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
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 -