Question

Do the jobs for workers in low-income countries that involve making products for export to high-income countries typically pay these workers more or less than their next-best alternative?

Short answer

Jobs in export-oriented industries in low-income countries typically pay workers more than their next-best alternative, which are often domestic-oriented industries. This is due to global competition and foreign investments, which enable these export-oriented industries to offer higher wages compared to industries that cater mainly to the domestic market.

Step-by-step solution

First, we need to identify the export-oriented industries in low-income countries. These industries often include manufacturing, textile, and agriculture sectors. Workers in these sectors produce goods that are exported to high-income countries. #Step 2: Determine wages in export-oriented industries#

Next, we need to find data on the wages of workers in these export-oriented industries. This information can often be found through government reports, news articles, or independent research studies. Alternatively, we can make an evidence-based assumption that, given competition and foreign investments, such industries might be able to provide higher wages than domestic-oriented industries. #Step 3: Identify the next-best alternative industries for workers in low-income countries#

After that, we need to determine the next-best alternative industries for workers in low-income countries. These are typically industries that have lower barriers to entry and mainly cater to the domestic market. They can include informal sector jobs or self-employment (e.g., street vendors, subsistence agriculture), construction, and other service industries. #Step 4: Determine wages in the next-best alternative industries#

To compare the wages between export-oriented industries and the next-best alternative industries, we need to find data on the wages of workers in these alternative industries. Again, this information can be found the same way as was done for export-oriented industries, by looking in government reports, news articles and independent research studies. #Step 5: Compare the wages of workers in export-oriented industries and the next-best alternative industries#

Finally, we need to compare the wages between workers in export-oriented industries and the next-best alternative industries. Based on the gathered data, we can determine if jobs in export-oriented industries typically pay more or less than their next-best alternatives by analyzing the wage differences between the two sectors. #Step 6: Conclusion#

By following the steps above, we can come to an evidence-based conclusion on whether jobs for workers in low-income countries that involve making products for export to high-income countries typically pay these workers more or less than their next-best alternative. Economists often argue that, due to global competition and foreign investments, such export-oriented industries tend to pay higher wages compared to the domestic-oriented industries, thus providing better employment opportunities for workers in low-income countries.