Speculate about why the average hourly wage rate paid by manufacturing firms to production workers is so much lower in Mississippi than in Michigan (Table 8.3).

State...................................Average Hourly Earnings
Massachusetts.................................$33.89
Connecticut........................................31.09
New Jersey........................................30.95
California...........................................28.55
Michigan...........................................26.40
Texas................................................26.03
Pennsylvania....................................25.82
New York..........................................25.51
Ohio..................................................22.94
Alabama...........................................21.22
Iowa.................................................20.84
Florida.............................................20.62
Mississippi.......................................17.66
Arkansas..........................................16.66