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Employment and firm heterogeneity, capital allocation, and countercyclical labor market policies

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  • Epstein, Brendan
  • Finkelstein Shapiro, Alan

Abstract

Developing and emerging economies have large employment shares in micro and small firms, which are characterized by limited access to formal financing and high reliance on input credit. These economies implemented a host of countercyclical labor market policies amid the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), but labor market data limitations prevent detailed empirical assessments of the effectiveness of these policies. We develop a business cycle model with frictional labor markets consistent with the employment and firm structure of these economies and assess the aggregate impact of key countercyclical labor market policies implemented amid the GFC. Improving job intermediation for large firms is particularly effective in aiding recoveries. Policies targeting smaller firms yield limited aggregate benefits. Differences in labor productivity and sectoral contribution to employment and output across firm categories are key in explaining the response to policy.

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  • Epstein, Brendan & Finkelstein Shapiro, Alan, 2017. "Employment and firm heterogeneity, capital allocation, and countercyclical labor market policies," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 25-41.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:127:y:2017:i:c:p:25-41
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2017.02.006
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    Cited by:

    1. Colombo, Emilio & Menna, Lorenzo & Tirelli, Patrizio, 2019. "Informality and the labor market effects of financial crises," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 1-22.
    2. Finkelstein Shapiro, Alan & Mandelman, Federico S., 2016. "Remittances, entrepreneurship, and employment dynamics over the business cycle," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 184-199.
    3. Emilio Colombo & Davide Furceri & Pietro Pizzuto & Patrizio Tirelli, 2022. "Fiscal Multipliers and Informality," DISEIS - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo dis2201, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo (DISEIS).
    4. Bekhet, Hussain Ali & Latif, Nurul Wahilah Abdul, 2018. "The impact of technological innovation and governance institution quality on Malaysia's sustainable growth: Evidence from a dynamic relationship," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 27-40.
    5. Epstein, Brendan & Finkelstein Shapiro, Alan, 2019. "Financial development, unemployment volatility, and sectoral dynamics," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 82-102.
    6. Finkelstein Shapiro, Alan & González Gómez, Andrés, 2017. "Credit market imperfections, labor markets, and leverage dynamics in emerging economies," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 44-63.
    7. Munkacsi, Zsuzsa, 2015. "Fiscal austerity, unemployment and family firms," Discussion Papers 06/2015, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    8. Finkelstein Shapiro, Alan, 2018. "Labor force participation, interest rate shocks, and unemployment dynamics in emerging economies," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 346-374.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Business cycles; Search frictions; Fiscal policy; Self-employment; Small firms; Input credit;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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