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Learning on the Job and the Cost of Business Cycles

Author

Listed:
  • Karl Walentin
  • Andreas Westermark

Abstract

We show that business cycles reduce welfare through a decrease in the average level of employment in a labor market search model with learning on the job and skill loss during unemployment. Empirically, unemployment and the job-finding rate are negatively correlated. Since new jobs are the product of these two from the employment transition equation, business cycles imply fewer new jobs. Learning on the job implies that the resulting decrease in employment reduces aggregate human capital. This reduces incentives to post vacancies, further decreasing employment and human capital. We quantify this mechanism and find large output and welfare costs of business cycles.

Suggested Citation

  • Karl Walentin & Andreas Westermark, 2022. "Learning on the Job and the Cost of Business Cycles," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 341-377, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmac:v:14:y:2022:i:4:p:341-77
    DOI: 10.1257/mac.20180473
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    Cited by:

    1. Jake Bradley, 2020. "Worker-firm screening and the business cycle," Discussion Papers 2020/11, University of Nottingham, Centre for Finance, Credit and Macroeconomics (CFCM).
    2. Giuseppe Moscarini & Fabien Postel-Vinay, 2024. "On the Job Search and Business Cycles," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 75(1), pages 73-112.
    3. Tervala, Juha, 2021. "Hysteresis and the welfare costs of recessions," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 136-144.
    4. Bradley, Jake, 2022. "Worker-Firm Screening and the Business Cycle," IZA Discussion Papers 15017, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs

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