Low-Skilled Unemployment, Biased Technological Shocks and Job Competition

The unempoyment rise in Eu countries has been particularly strong for low-skilled workers. This observation has often been explained in terms of biased technical change and relative wage rigidities. More attention has been paid recently to an alternative mechanism, the crowding-out of low-skiled workers by over-qualified workers. The objective of this paper is both methodological and empirical. We construct a dynamic general equilibrium model with two types of jobs and two types of workers and with search unemployment. The model is calibrated and simulated to examine the interactions between the “skill bias” and “crowding-out” mechanisms. When such interactions are accounted for, the model reproduces quite well the observed unemployment changes.skill bias; equilibrium search unemployment; ladder effect; crowding out; overeducation

Aggregation in Models with Quantity Constraints: The CES Aggregation Function

This paper is devoted to the problem of aggregation in models with quantity constraints. The focus is on quantity rationing macroeconomic (QRM) models where the micromarket outcome can be written as the minimum of several variables and where the diversity of situations across micromarkets is explicitly recognized. The aggregation result given in this paper generalizes that of Lambert (1988) to employment functions with more than two components, and leads to approximate aggregate functions of the CES variety. The approximation used can accomodate general variance-covariance structures. Simulation experiments show that the approximation error remains within reasonable bounds (1-4%). It thus seems that the CES formulation can accomodate a large variety of situations. It remains in particular valid when the (restrictive) conditions required to obtain the CES function as an exact result (independently identically distributed Weibull variables) are not satisfied.Macroeconomics; smoothing-by-aggregation; mismatch; approximation

Selective Reductions in Labour Taxation: Labour Market Adjustments and Macroeconomic Performance

Significant differences in unemployment incidence in Europe have been observed across skill groups, with the least skilled suffering the highest and most persistent unemployment rates. To identify policies alleviating this problem, we study the impact of reductions in employer social security contributions. We construct a general equilibrium model with three types of heterogeneous workers and firms, matching frictions, wage bargaining and a rigid minimum wage. We find evidence in favour of narrow tax cuts targeted at the minimum wage but we argue that it is most important to account for the effects of such reductions on both job creation and job destruction. The failure to do so may explain the gap between macro- and microeconometric evaluations of such policies in France and Belgium. Policy impact on welfare and inefficiencies induced by job competition, ladder effects and on-the-job search are discussed.Skill Bias, Minimum Wage, Job Creation, Job Destruction, Job Competition, Search Unemployment, Taxation

Selective Reductions in Labour Taxation : Labour Market Adjustments and Macroeconomic Performance

Significant differences in unemployment in Europe have been observed across skill groups, with the least skilled suffering the highest and most persistent unemployment rates. To identify policies alleviating this problem, we study the impact of reductions in employer social security contributions. We construct a general equilibrium model with three types of workers and firms, matching frictions, wage bargaining and a rigid minimum wage. We find evidence in favour of narrow tax cuts targeted at the minimum wage, but we argue that it is most important to account for the effects of such reductions on both job creation and job destruction. The failure to do so may explain the gap between macro- and microeconometric evaluations of such policies in France and Belgium. Policy impact on welfare and inefficiencies induced by job competition, ladder effects and on-th-job search are quantified and discussed.Minimum Wage, Job Creation, Job Destruction, Job Competition, Search Unemployment, Taxation, Computable General Equilibrium Models

Low-Skilled Unemployment, Capital-Skill Complementarity and Embodied Technical Progress

We construct an intertemporal general equilibrium model with two types of jobs and two types of workers. We allow for job competition between high- and low-skilled segment of the labour market and for on-the-job search. Matching processes are represented by matching functions à la Pissarides. Workers search intensities are endogenous. Biased technological change is introduced via embodied technical progress and a capital-skill complementarity. The model is calibrated and simulated to evaluate the impact of various types of shocks. The model reproduces quite well the unemployment rate changes and the relative wage stability observed over the last two decades. It suggests strong interactions between biased technological change, discouragement effects and job competition.Skill mismatch; equilibrium unemployment; ladder effect; macro dynamics

Demography, capital flows and unemployment

This paper contributes to the already vast literature on demography-induced international capital flows by examining the role of labor market imperfections and institutions. We setup a two-country overlapping generations model with search unemployment, which we calibrate on EU15 and US data. Labor market imperfections are found to significantly increase the volume of capital flows, because of stronger employment adjustments in comparison with a competitive economy. We next exploit themodel to investigate how demographic asymmetriesmay have contributed to unemployment and welfare changes in the recent past (1950-2010). We show that a policy reform in one country also has an impact on labor markets in other countries when capital is mobile.demographics; capital flows; overlapping generations; general equilibrium; unemployment

Job Turnover, Unemployment and Labor Market Institutions

This paper studies the role of labor market institutions on unemployment and on the cyclical properties of job flows. We construct an intertemporal general equilibrium model with search unemployment and endogenous job turnover, and examine the consequences of introducing an unemployment benefit, a firing cost and a downward wage rigidity. The simulations suggest that downward wage rigidities, rather than unemployment benefit or firing cost, may well play a dominant role in explaining both the high unemployment rate and the job flows dynamics of such an economy.Unemployment, Job flows dynamics, Institutions

Demography, Capital Flows and Unemployment

This paper contributes to the already vast literature on demography-induced international capital flows by examining the role of labor market imperfections and institutions. We setup a two-country overlapping generations model with search unemployment, which we calibrate on EU15 and US data. Labor market imperfections are found to significantly increase the volume of capital flows, because of stronger employment adjustments in comparison with a competitive economy. We next exploit the model to investigate how demographic asymmetries may have contributed to unemployment and welfare changes in the recent past (1950-2010). We show that a policy reform in one country also has an impact on labor markets in other countries when capital is mobile.demographics, capital flows, overlapping generations, general equilibrium, unemployment

LOLA 1.0: Luxembourg overLapping generation model for policy analysis

We build on the DSGE literature to propose an overlapping generation model for Luxembourg. By way of illustration, the model is then used to study the consequences of the ageing of the population and the potential effects of alternative macroeconomic policies.Overlapping Generations, Search Unemployment, Small open economy, Labor Force Participation, Ageing, Labor Market Policy and Institutions

Aggregate Matching Efficiency : A Stochastic Production Frontier Approach, France 1990-1994

We evaluate the determinants of aggregate matching efficiency changes through a stochastic Cobb-Douglas production frontier model. The efficiency coefficient is represented by a stochastic function of variables meant to capture workers and firms characteristics. The model is estimated on French data covering twenty-two regions from March 1990 till February 1995. Our estimates suggest that aggregate matching efficiency has decreased steadily in the early nineties. There are also wide cross-regional differences. On average, about 30% of the variations of efficiency observed across time and regions can be related to changes in the explanatory variables used in the model. The most important explanatory variables are the proportion of youngsters, females and immigrants in the stock of job seekers. Long-term unemployment has a significant negative effect, population density a significant positive one. The huge decline in the proportion of permanent job offers has apparently little effect on matching efficiencymatching efficiency; regional unemployment; stochastic frontier