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Mind The Gap: Unemployment In The New Eu Regions

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  • Anna Maria Ferragina
  • Francesco Pastore

Abstract

The paper surveys the theoretical and empirical literature on regional unemployment during transition in Central and Eastern Europe. The focus is on optimal speed of transition (OST) models and on comparison of them with the neo-classical tradition. In the typical neo-classical models, spatial differences essentially arise as a consequence of supply side constraints and institutional rigidities. Slow-growth, high-unemployment regions are those with backward economic structures and constraints on factors mobility contribute to making differences persistent. However, such explanations leave the question unanswered of how unemployment differences arise in the first place. Economic transition provides an excellent testing ground to answer this question. Pre-figuring an empirical law, the OST literature finds that the high degree of labour turnover of high unemployment regions is associated with a high rate of industrial restructuring and, consequently, that low unemployment may be achieved by implementing transition more gradually. Moreover, international trade, foreign direct investment and various agglomeration factors help explain the success of capital cities compared to peripheral towns and rural areas in achieving low unemployment. The evidence of the empirical literature on supply side factors suggests that wage flexibility in Central and Eastern Europe is not lower than in other EU countries, while labour mobility seems to reinforce rather than change the spatial pattern of unemployment. Copyright 2008 The Author Journal compilation � 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by Wiley Blackwell in its journal Journal of Economic Surveys.

Volume (Year): 22 (2008)
Issue (Month): 1 (02)
Pages: 73-113

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Handle: RePEc:bla:jecsur:v:22:y:2008:i:1:p:73-113

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References

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Cited by:
  1. Mussida, Chiara & Pastore, Francesco, 2012. "Is There a Southern-Sclerosis? Worker Reallocation and Regional Unemployment in Italy," IZA Discussion Papers 6954, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
  2. Joanna Tyrowicz & Piotr Wojcik, 2010. "Active Labour Market Policies and Unemployment Convergence in Transition," Review of Economic Analysis, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis, vol. 2(1), pages 46-72, January.
  3. David Katrencik & Joanna Tyrowicz & Piotr Wójcik, 2008. "Unemployment Convergence in Transition," Working Papers 2008-07, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
  4. Jan Fidrmuc & Peter Huber, 2007. "Introduction," Empirica, Springer, vol. 34(4), pages 281-286, September.
  5. Pastore, Francesco, 2013. "Primum vivere… Industrial Change, Job Destruction and the Geographical Distribution of Unemployment," IZA Discussion Papers 7126, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
  6. Kenmei Tsubota, 2009. "Agglomeration and wage bargaining," KIER Working Papers 675, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
  7. Olga Demidova & Marcello Signorelli, 2010. "The Impact of Crises on Youth Unemployment of Russian Regions: An Empirical Analysis," Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia, Finanza e Statistica 78/2010, Università di Perugia, Dipartimento Economia, Finanza e Statistica.
  8. Joanna Tyrowicz & Piotr Wójcik, 2009. "Nonlinear Stochastic Convergence Analysis of Regional Unemployment Rates in Poland," Working Papers 2009-04, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
  9. Pastore, Francesco & Tyrowicz, Joanna, 2012. "Labour Turnover and the Spatial Distribution of Unemployment: A Panel Data Analysis Using Employment Registry Data," IZA Discussion Papers 7074, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
  10. Cristiano Perugini & Marcello Signorelli, 2010. "Youth labour market performance in European regions," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 151-185, May.
  11. Joanna TYROWICZ & Piotr W�JCIK, 2009. "Some Remarks On The Effects Of Active Labour Market Policies In Post-Transition," Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Spiru Haret University, Faculty of Financial Management and Accounting Craiova, vol. 4(2(8)_ Sum).
  12. Pastore, Francesco, 2005. "To Study or to Work? Education and Labour Market Participation of Young People in Poland," IZA Discussion Papers 1793, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
  13. Darja Borsic & Alenka Kavkler, 2009. "Duration of Regional Unemployment Spells in Slovenia," Managing Global Transitions, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 7(2), pages 123-146.

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