Abstract
This paper estimates the value of a statistical life from commercial Himalayan expeditions. Because deaths occur with a fair amount of regularity, fatality rates are calculated for each mountain trail and are, hence, disaggregated measures of risk. Also, since the marginal product of labor in the industry is (in part) the marginal product of safety, our revenue measures may account for unobserved safety-related productivity of guides. Guide safety is explicitly observed by market participants, and is reflected in higher wages for safer guides. Our VSL estimates are about $5. M.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 27-32 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Labour Economics |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2012 |
Keywords
- Cost-benefit
- Internet Wayback Machine
- Mountaineering
- Risk
- Statistical life
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics and Econometrics
- Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management