Employment Protection Deregulation and Labor Shares in Advanced Economies

Employment Protection Deregulation and Labor Shares in Advanced Economies

Author: Gabriele Ciminelli

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2018-08-16

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13: 1484370082

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Labor market deregulation, intended to boost productivity and employment, is one plausible, yet little studied, driver of the decline in labor shares that took place across most advanced economies since the early 1990s. This paper assesses the impact of job protection deregulation in a sample of 26 advanced economies over the period 1970-2015, using a newly constructed dataset of major reforms to employment protection legislation for regular contracts. We apply the local projection method to estimate the dynamic response of the labor share to our reform events at both the country and the country-industry levels. For the latter, we employ a differences-in-differences identification strategy using two identifying assumptions grounded in theory—namely that job protection deregulation should have larger negative effects in industries characterized by (i) a higher “natural” propensity to adjust the workforce, and (ii) a lower elasticity of substitution between capital and labor. We find a statistically significant, economically large and robust negative effect of deregulation on the labor share. In particular, illustrative back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that job protection deregulation may have contributed about 15 percent to the average labor share decline in advanced economies. Together with existing evidence regarding the macroeconomic gains from job protection and other labor market reforms, our results also point to the need for policymakers to address efficiency-equity trade-offs when designing such reforms.


Book Synopsis Employment Protection Deregulation and Labor Shares in Advanced Economies by : Gabriele Ciminelli

Download or read book Employment Protection Deregulation and Labor Shares in Advanced Economies written by Gabriele Ciminelli and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2018-08-16 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Labor market deregulation, intended to boost productivity and employment, is one plausible, yet little studied, driver of the decline in labor shares that took place across most advanced economies since the early 1990s. This paper assesses the impact of job protection deregulation in a sample of 26 advanced economies over the period 1970-2015, using a newly constructed dataset of major reforms to employment protection legislation for regular contracts. We apply the local projection method to estimate the dynamic response of the labor share to our reform events at both the country and the country-industry levels. For the latter, we employ a differences-in-differences identification strategy using two identifying assumptions grounded in theory—namely that job protection deregulation should have larger negative effects in industries characterized by (i) a higher “natural” propensity to adjust the workforce, and (ii) a lower elasticity of substitution between capital and labor. We find a statistically significant, economically large and robust negative effect of deregulation on the labor share. In particular, illustrative back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that job protection deregulation may have contributed about 15 percent to the average labor share decline in advanced economies. Together with existing evidence regarding the macroeconomic gains from job protection and other labor market reforms, our results also point to the need for policymakers to address efficiency-equity trade-offs when designing such reforms.

Job Protection Deregulation in Good and Bad Times

Job Protection Deregulation in Good and Bad Times

Author: Mr.Romain A Duval

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2017-12-14

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 1484333012

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This paper explores the short-term employment effect of deregulating job protection for regular workers and how it varies with prevailing business cycle conditions. We apply a local projection method to a newly constructed “narrative” dataset of major regular job protection reforms covering 26 advanced economies over the past four decades. The analysis relies on country-sector-level data, using as an identifying assumption the fact that stringent dismissal regulations are more binding in sectors that are characterized by a higher “natural” propensity to regularly adjust their workforce. We find that the responses of sectoral employment to large job protection deregulation shocks depend crucially on the state of the economy at the time of reform——they are positive in an expansion, but become negative in a recession. These findings are consistent with theory, and are robust to a broad range of robustness checks including an Instrumental Variable approach using political economy drivers of reforms as instruments. Our results provide a case for undertaking job protection reform in good times, or for designing it in ways that enhance its short-term impact.


Book Synopsis Job Protection Deregulation in Good and Bad Times by : Mr.Romain A Duval

Download or read book Job Protection Deregulation in Good and Bad Times written by Mr.Romain A Duval and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2017-12-14 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper explores the short-term employment effect of deregulating job protection for regular workers and how it varies with prevailing business cycle conditions. We apply a local projection method to a newly constructed “narrative” dataset of major regular job protection reforms covering 26 advanced economies over the past four decades. The analysis relies on country-sector-level data, using as an identifying assumption the fact that stringent dismissal regulations are more binding in sectors that are characterized by a higher “natural” propensity to regularly adjust their workforce. We find that the responses of sectoral employment to large job protection deregulation shocks depend crucially on the state of the economy at the time of reform——they are positive in an expansion, but become negative in a recession. These findings are consistent with theory, and are robust to a broad range of robustness checks including an Instrumental Variable approach using political economy drivers of reforms as instruments. Our results provide a case for undertaking job protection reform in good times, or for designing it in ways that enhance its short-term impact.

Labor and Product Market Reforms and External Imbalances: Evidence from Advanced Economies

Labor and Product Market Reforms and External Imbalances: Evidence from Advanced Economies

Author: Mr.Romain A Duval

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2021-02-26

Total Pages: 31

ISBN-13: 1513570749

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We explore the impact of major labor and product market reforms on current account dynamics using a new “narrative” database of major changes in employment protection for regular workers and product market regulation for non-manufacturing industries covering 26 advanced economies over the past four decades. Our main finding is that product market deregulation is associated with a weakening of the current account, while labor market deregulation is associated with an improvement. These effects are transitory and driven by both saving and investment responses. Labor and product market reforms both have a more positive impact on the current account balance when implemented under weak macroeconomic conditions. Our results are broadly consistent with predictions from recent DSGE models with endogenous producer entry and labor market frictions.


Book Synopsis Labor and Product Market Reforms and External Imbalances: Evidence from Advanced Economies by : Mr.Romain A Duval

Download or read book Labor and Product Market Reforms and External Imbalances: Evidence from Advanced Economies written by Mr.Romain A Duval and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-02-26 with total page 31 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We explore the impact of major labor and product market reforms on current account dynamics using a new “narrative” database of major changes in employment protection for regular workers and product market regulation for non-manufacturing industries covering 26 advanced economies over the past four decades. Our main finding is that product market deregulation is associated with a weakening of the current account, while labor market deregulation is associated with an improvement. These effects are transitory and driven by both saving and investment responses. Labor and product market reforms both have a more positive impact on the current account balance when implemented under weak macroeconomic conditions. Our results are broadly consistent with predictions from recent DSGE models with endogenous producer entry and labor market frictions.

Fighting Unemployment

Fighting Unemployment

Author: David R. Howell

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 369

ISBN-13: 0195165853

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Critically assessing the widely accepted view that the cause of unemployment is excessive labor market regulation and overly generous welfare state benefits, this book's chapters include both cross-country statistical analyses and country case studies.


Book Synopsis Fighting Unemployment by : David R. Howell

Download or read book Fighting Unemployment written by David R. Howell and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Critically assessing the widely accepted view that the cause of unemployment is excessive labor market regulation and overly generous welfare state benefits, this book's chapters include both cross-country statistical analyses and country case studies.

Employment Protection Deregulation and Labor Shares in Advanced Economies

Employment Protection Deregulation and Labor Shares in Advanced Economies

Author: Gabriele Ciminelli

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2018-08-16

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13: 1484373723

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Labor market deregulation, intended to boost productivity and employment, is one plausible, yet little studied, driver of the decline in labor shares that took place across most advanced economies since the early 1990s. This paper assesses the impact of job protection deregulation in a sample of 26 advanced economies over the period 1970-2015, using a newly constructed dataset of major reforms to employment protection legislation for regular contracts. We apply the local projection method to estimate the dynamic response of the labor share to our reform events at both the country and the country-industry levels. For the latter, we employ a differences-in-differences identification strategy using two identifying assumptions grounded in theory—namely that job protection deregulation should have larger negative effects in industries characterized by (i) a higher “natural” propensity to adjust the workforce, and (ii) a lower elasticity of substitution between capital and labor. We find a statistically significant, economically large and robust negative effect of deregulation on the labor share. In particular, illustrative back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that job protection deregulation may have contributed about 15 percent to the average labor share decline in advanced economies. Together with existing evidence regarding the macroeconomic gains from job protection and other labor market reforms, our results also point to the need for policymakers to address efficiency-equity trade-offs when designing such reforms.


Book Synopsis Employment Protection Deregulation and Labor Shares in Advanced Economies by : Gabriele Ciminelli

Download or read book Employment Protection Deregulation and Labor Shares in Advanced Economies written by Gabriele Ciminelli and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2018-08-16 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Labor market deregulation, intended to boost productivity and employment, is one plausible, yet little studied, driver of the decline in labor shares that took place across most advanced economies since the early 1990s. This paper assesses the impact of job protection deregulation in a sample of 26 advanced economies over the period 1970-2015, using a newly constructed dataset of major reforms to employment protection legislation for regular contracts. We apply the local projection method to estimate the dynamic response of the labor share to our reform events at both the country and the country-industry levels. For the latter, we employ a differences-in-differences identification strategy using two identifying assumptions grounded in theory—namely that job protection deregulation should have larger negative effects in industries characterized by (i) a higher “natural” propensity to adjust the workforce, and (ii) a lower elasticity of substitution between capital and labor. We find a statistically significant, economically large and robust negative effect of deregulation on the labor share. In particular, illustrative back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that job protection deregulation may have contributed about 15 percent to the average labor share decline in advanced economies. Together with existing evidence regarding the macroeconomic gains from job protection and other labor market reforms, our results also point to the need for policymakers to address efficiency-equity trade-offs when designing such reforms.

Designing Labor Market Institutions in Emerging and Developing Economies

Designing Labor Market Institutions in Emerging and Developing Economies

Author: Mr.Romain A Duval

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2019-05-21

Total Pages: 58

ISBN-13: 1498313264

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This paper discusses theoretical aspects and evidences related to designing labor market institutions in emerging market and developing economies. This note reviews the state of theory and evidence on the design of labor market institutions in a developing economy context and then reviews its consistency with actual labor market advice in a selected set of emerging and developing economies. The focus is mainly on three broad sets of institutions that matter for both workers’ protection and labor market efficiency: employment protection, unemployment insurance and social assistance, minimum wages and collective bargaining. Text mining techniques are used to identify IMF recommendations in these areas in Article IV Reports for 30 emerging and frontier economies over 2005–2016. This note has provided a critical review of the literature on the design of labor market institutions in emerging and developing market economies, and benchmarked the advice featured in IMF recommendations for 30 emerging market and frontier economies against the tentative conclusions from the literature.


Book Synopsis Designing Labor Market Institutions in Emerging and Developing Economies by : Mr.Romain A Duval

Download or read book Designing Labor Market Institutions in Emerging and Developing Economies written by Mr.Romain A Duval and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2019-05-21 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper discusses theoretical aspects and evidences related to designing labor market institutions in emerging market and developing economies. This note reviews the state of theory and evidence on the design of labor market institutions in a developing economy context and then reviews its consistency with actual labor market advice in a selected set of emerging and developing economies. The focus is mainly on three broad sets of institutions that matter for both workers’ protection and labor market efficiency: employment protection, unemployment insurance and social assistance, minimum wages and collective bargaining. Text mining techniques are used to identify IMF recommendations in these areas in Article IV Reports for 30 emerging and frontier economies over 2005–2016. This note has provided a critical review of the literature on the design of labor market institutions in emerging and developing market economies, and benchmarked the advice featured in IMF recommendations for 30 emerging market and frontier economies against the tentative conclusions from the literature.

Inequality and Labor Market Institutions

Inequality and Labor Market Institutions

Author: Ms.Florence Jaumotte

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2015-07-01

Total Pages: 32

ISBN-13: 1513526901

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The SDN examines the role of labor market institutions in the rise of income inequality in advanced economies, alongside other determinants. The evidence strongly indicates that de-unionization is associated with rising top earners’ income shares and less redistribution, while eroding minimum wages are related to increases in overall income inequality. The results, however, also suggest that a lack of representativeness of unions may be associated with higher inequality. These findings do not necessarily constitute a blanket recommendation for higher unionization and minimum wages, as country-specific circumstances and potential trade-offs with other policy objectives need to be considered. Addressing inequality also requires a multipronged approach, which should include taxation reform and curbing excesses associated with financial deregulation.


Book Synopsis Inequality and Labor Market Institutions by : Ms.Florence Jaumotte

Download or read book Inequality and Labor Market Institutions written by Ms.Florence Jaumotte and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2015-07-01 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The SDN examines the role of labor market institutions in the rise of income inequality in advanced economies, alongside other determinants. The evidence strongly indicates that de-unionization is associated with rising top earners’ income shares and less redistribution, while eroding minimum wages are related to increases in overall income inequality. The results, however, also suggest that a lack of representativeness of unions may be associated with higher inequality. These findings do not necessarily constitute a blanket recommendation for higher unionization and minimum wages, as country-specific circumstances and potential trade-offs with other policy objectives need to be considered. Addressing inequality also requires a multipronged approach, which should include taxation reform and curbing excesses associated with financial deregulation.

Wage-Led Growth

Wage-Led Growth

Author: Engelbert Stockhammer

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2013-12-03

Total Pages: 329

ISBN-13: 1137357932

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This volume seeks to go beyond the microeconomic view of wages as a cost having negative consequences on a given firm, to consider the positive macroeconomic dynamics associated with wages as a major component of aggregate demand.


Book Synopsis Wage-Led Growth by : Engelbert Stockhammer

Download or read book Wage-Led Growth written by Engelbert Stockhammer and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-12-03 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume seeks to go beyond the microeconomic view of wages as a cost having negative consequences on a given firm, to consider the positive macroeconomic dynamics associated with wages as a major component of aggregate demand.

The Shadow Economy

The Shadow Economy

Author: Friedrich Schneider

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2013-02-14

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 1107034841

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This book presents new data to give an overview of shadow economies from OECD countries and propose solutions to prevent illicit work.


Book Synopsis The Shadow Economy by : Friedrich Schneider

Download or read book The Shadow Economy written by Friedrich Schneider and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-02-14 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents new data to give an overview of shadow economies from OECD countries and propose solutions to prevent illicit work.

The Labor Market and Economic Adjustment

The Labor Market and Economic Adjustment

Author: Pierre-Richard Agénor

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 1995-11-01

Total Pages: 98

ISBN-13: 1451854781

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This paper examines the role of the labor market in the transmission process of adjustment policies in developing countries. It begins by reviewing the recent evidence regarding the functioning of these markets. It then studies the implications of wage inertia, nominal contracts, labor market segmentation, and impediments to labor mobility for stabilization policies. The effect of labor market reforms on economic flexibility and the channels through which labor market imperfections alter the effects of structural adjustment measures are discussed next. The last part of the paper identifies a variety of issues that may require further investigation, such as the link between changes in relative wages and the distributional effects of adjustment policies.


Book Synopsis The Labor Market and Economic Adjustment by : Pierre-Richard Agénor

Download or read book The Labor Market and Economic Adjustment written by Pierre-Richard Agénor and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 1995-11-01 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper examines the role of the labor market in the transmission process of adjustment policies in developing countries. It begins by reviewing the recent evidence regarding the functioning of these markets. It then studies the implications of wage inertia, nominal contracts, labor market segmentation, and impediments to labor mobility for stabilization policies. The effect of labor market reforms on economic flexibility and the channels through which labor market imperfections alter the effects of structural adjustment measures are discussed next. The last part of the paper identifies a variety of issues that may require further investigation, such as the link between changes in relative wages and the distributional effects of adjustment policies.