Site icon Econ Eye

Auto CEOs Make 300 Times What Workers Make. How That Stacks Up

The ratio of automakers’ CEO’s pay to the median autoworker’s pay equals 300. Industries that employ highly skilled and well-compensated workers have relatively low pay ratios. Industries with many low-wage workers have relatively high pay ratios.—wsj.com

Answer the following questions to check your understanding of the story.

Why do industries that employ high-skilled workers have lower pay ratios than industries that employ low-skilled workers?

Demand for high-skilled workers is _____________ than demand for low-skilled workers, and supply of high-skilled workers is ___________ than supply of low-skilled workers.

Wrong! - How does the value of marginal product of high-skilled workers compare to the value of marginal product of low-skilled workers? Who has the greater cost of acquiring skill—high-skilled or low-skilled workers? How does this influence the compensation of the two groups and pay ratios in industries that higher high-skilled or low-skilled workers?

Well Done! - The value of marginal product of high-skilled workers is greater than the value of marginal product of low-skilled workers, so demand for high-skilled workers is greater than demand for low-skilled workers. The cost of acquiring skills for high-skilled workers is greater than the cost of acquiring skills for low-skilled workers, so supply of high-skilled workers is smaller than supply of low-skilled workers. With a greater demand and a smaller supply, high-skilled workers receive greater pay than low-skilled workers, and firms that employ high-skilled workers have lower pay ratios.

What is the likely explanation for CEOs that make 300 times what workers make?

The likely explanation is ____________.

Wrong! - How do firms choose their CEO? Are value of marginal product, cost of acquiring skill, and shareholder confidence likely explanations for CEO salaries?

Good Job! - Top executives are like top tennis players, golfers, and other sports players: The winners get many times the reward than those who finish second. To get the best performance from their top CEOs, firms must make the reward for the CEO job high enough.

Exit mobile version