Download This PaperPay, Employment, and Dynamics of Young Firms
56 Pages Posted: 30 Jul 2019 Last revised: 12 Nov 2019
Date Written: July 23, 2019
Abstract
Why do young firms pay less? Using confidential microdata from the US Census Bureau, we find lower earnings among workers at young firms. However, we argue that such measurement is likely subject to worker and firm selection. Exploiting the two-sided panel nature of the data to control for relevant dimensions of worker and firm heterogeneity, we uncover a positive and significant young-firm pay premium. Furthermore, we show that worker selection at firm birth is related to future firm dynamics, including survival and growth. We tie our empirical findings to a simple model of pay, employment, and dynamics of young firms.
Keywords: Young-Firm Pay Premium, Selection, Worker and Firm Heterogeneity, Firm Dynamics, Startups
JEL Classification: J30, J31, D22, E24, M13
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Tania Babina
Columbia University - Columbia Business School, Finance ( email )
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Christian Moser (Contact Author)
Columbia University ( email )
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HOME PAGE: http://www.economoser.com
Paige Ouimet
University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill - Kenan-Flagler Business School ( email )
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Rebecca Zarutskie
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ( email )
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