Abstract
In this paper we estimate the amount by which firms' labor costs are increased by compliance with affirmative action regulations imposed on federal contractors for 160 SMSAs in 1980. The paper focuses on determining the cause(s) for variation in these “compliance costs” across SMSAs and in identifying areas of high and low compliance cost. We find that compliance costs are lower in larger SMSAs, more rapidly growing SMSAs, and SMSAs that have relatively large proportions of minorities and females in the labor market.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ashenfelter O, Heckman J (1976) Measuring the effects of an anti-discrimination program. In: Ashenfelter O, Blum J (eds) Evaluating the labor market effects of social programs. Industrial Relations Section, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ
Diewert WE (1976) Exact and superlative index numbers. J Econ 4:115–145
Getis A, Ord JK (1992) The analysis of spatial association by distance statistics. Geog Anal 24:189–206
Griffin P (1992a) The impact of affirmative action on labor demand: a test of some implications of the Le Chatelier principle. Rev Econ Statist 74:251–260
Griffin P (1992b) The substitutability of occupational groups using firm-level data. Econ Lett 39:279–282
Griffin P (1994) The determinants of the costs of compliance with affirmative action, Manuscript, California State University, Long Beach 1994
Leonard J (1984a) The impact of affirmative action on employment. J Labor Econ 439–463
Leonard J (1984b) Employment and occupational advance under affirmative action. Rev Econ Statist 66:377–385
Ord JK, Getis A (1995) Local spatial autocorrelation statistics: distributional issues and an application. Geogr Anal 27:286–306
Smith J, Welch F (1984) Affirmative action and labor markets. J Labor Econ 2:269–301
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The authors would like to thank Fred Wildes and Long Gen Ying, both of San Diego State University, for their assistance on this project. In addition, support for Prof. Getis' work was provided by the National Science Foundation, Grant No. SES-9123832.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Griffin, P., Getis, A. & Griffin, E. Regional patterns of affirmative action compliance costs. Ann Reg Sci 30, 321–340 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01580525
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01580525