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Chinese Journal of Management Science ›› 2025, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (8): 50-60.doi: 10.16381/j.cnki.issn1003-207x.2023.2218

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Pyramid Structure and Labor Income Share

Jinli Xiao1, Jialing Li1, Hao Gao2(), Fenghua Wen3   

  1. 1.School of Management,Xiamen University,Xiamen 361005,China
    2.Wudaokou School of Finance,Tsinghua University,Beijing 100083,China
    3.Business School,Central South University,Changsha 410083,China
  • Received:2023-12-28 Revised:2024-04-05 Online:2025-08-25 Published:2025-09-10
  • Contact: Hao Gao E-mail:gaoh@pbcsf.tsinghua.edu.cn

Abstract:

Pyramid ownership structure is common in China. The pyramid ownership structure has its uniqueness, which is manifested as the separation of cash flow rights and control rights. This separation distorts the decision-making motivation of the controlling shareholders under the pyramid ownership structure and guides them to make high-risk investment behaviors, which may include decisions about labor income share. Labor income share is an important part of a firm's operating decision, which can reflect the initial distribution status of labor factors within the firm. In the context of pursuing common prosperity, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to discuss the impact of pyramid ownership structure on labor income share and its potential mechanism. Based on the sample of A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2008 to 2020, the impact of pyramid ownership structure on the labor income share of enterprises is examined, the reasons for controlling shareholders to increase the labor income share from the perspectives of returns and risks are analyzed, and it is proposed that optimizing the labor structure is the main influencing mechanism. The benchmark regression results of this paper show that the more the pyramid levels are, the higher the labor income share of enterprises is, which verifies the main hypothesis of this paper. Secondly, the reliability of the results is examined by replacing the measurement methods of explanatory variables and explained variables, adding observable control variables, omitting unobservable variable analysis, propensity score matching and entropy balance matching, and instrumental variable method, and it is found that the regression results are robust. When external uncertainty is high or labor can create higher value and shareholders can obtain more retained earnings, the positive relationship between pyramid hierarchy and labor income share is more significant. Moreover, as the pyramid hierarchy increases, firms are able to achieve and upgrade the labor structure. Further studies show that the impact of pyramid hierarchy on labor income share is more obvious when firms have better external and internal governance, more adequate human capital and lower minimum wage standard. The literature on the influencing factors of labor income share is expanded, the research conclusions on the economic consequences of pyramid hierarchy are enriched, and new evidence for in-depth understanding of the relationship between labor and capital is provided.

Key words: labor income share, pyramid structure, separation of two rights

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