Purpose

This study aims to explore, in the context of Machinery and Equipment sector of Malaysia, the association between average wages and share of employment in automatable jobs, specifically whether the association between average wages and share of employment automatable jobs is asymmetric in nature.

Design/methodology/approach

The responses obtained from the structured interview of 265 firms are used to build up the empirical models (conditional mean regression and quantile regression).

Findings

The conditional mean regression findings show that employment levels in some low-waged, middle-skilled jobs are negatively associated with average wages. Furthermore, the quantile regression results add that firms that possess higher levels of share of employment in automation jobs are found to have a stronger association to average wages than those possessing a lower share of employment in automation jobs.

Practical implications

From the theoretical perspective, the findings of this study add to the body of knowledge of the theory of minimum wages and the concept of job polarization. From a policy perspective, the findings of this study can serve as a critical input to standard setters and regulators in devising industrial and as education policies.

Originality/value

Based on the assumption of a constant average policy effect on automatable jobs, conditional mean regression models have been commonly used in prior studies. This study makes the first attempt to employ the quantile regression method to provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between wages and employment in automatable jobs.

中文翻译：

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工资和自动化工作之间存在不对称：分位数回归方法

目的

本研究旨在在马来西亚机械和设备部门的背景下，探讨平均工资与自动化工作就业份额之间的关联，特别是平均工资与自动化工作就业份额之间的关联是否在本质上是不对称的。

设计/方法/方法

从 265 家公司的结构化访谈中获得的回答用于建立经验模型（条件平均回归和分位数回归）。

发现

条件平均回归结果表明，一些低工资、中等技能工作的就业水平与平均工资呈负相关。此外，分位数回归结果补充说，与自动化工作中就业份额较低的公司相比，在自动化工作中拥有较高就业份额的公司与平均工资的相关性更强。

实际影响

从理论的角度来看，这项研究的结果增加了最低工资理论和工作两极分化概念的知识体系。从政策的角度来看，这项研究的结果可以作为标准制定者和监管者在制定工业和教育政策方面的重要投入。

原创性/价值

基于对可自动化工作的平均政策效应恒定的假设，条件平均回归模型在先前的研究中已被普遍使用。本研究首次尝试采用分位数回归方法，以更深入地了解自动化工作中工资与就业之间的关系。