Impact of minimum wage on labour market institutions in developing countries: a systematic review
Nurul Syamira Ab Manan Iskandar1, Suriyani Muhamad2.
Minimum wages have become one of the most contentious economic
interventions by the government. Minimum wages compress the wage
structure and alter income distribution, primarily among wage
earners. Since minimum wage policies are being implemented in
most developing countries, it is essential to understand their effects
to determine their efficacy. The minimum wage is not a new
phenomenon that has inspired numerous relevant academic studies.
Minimum wage systems should complement and strengthen other
social and employment policies. However, few systematic reviews of
the existing literature on the effect of minimum wage in developing
nations have been conducted. The purpose of this article is to
underline a comprehensive literature review on the impact of
minimum wage on labour market institutions in developing countries.
This study used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews
and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) review method, utilising the Scopus
and Web of Science journal databases. The search efforts resulted in
a total of 22 articles that can be systematically analysed. Most
importantly, the review identified four major themes: policymakers,
firm management, poverty reduction, and low-wage workers.
Overall, additional analysis of the four themes led to the
identification of sixteen subthemes. Several recommendations are
made regarding conducting further qualitative studies, using a
specific and standard systematic review method to guide research in
the context of minimum wages, and implementing complementary
searching techniques.
Affiliation:
- Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia
- Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia
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