IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/epo/papers/2006-14.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Are Protective Labor Market Institutions Really at the Root of Unemployment? A Critical Perspective on the Statistical Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • David R. Howell
  • Dean Baker
  • Andrew Glyn
  • John Schmitt

Abstract

This report debunks the myth that labor market protections, such as unions and unemployment benefits, are responsible for high European unemployment rates.

Suggested Citation

  • David R. Howell & Dean Baker & Andrew Glyn & John Schmitt, 2006. "Are Protective Labor Market Institutions Really at the Root of Unemployment? A Critical Perspective on the Statistical Evidence," CEPR Reports and Issue Briefs 2006-14, Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR).
  • Handle: RePEc:epo:papers:2006-14
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.cepr.net/documents/2006_07_unemployment_institutions.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michèle Belot & Jan C. van Ours, 2004. "Does the recent success of some OECD countries in lowering their unemployment rates lie in the clever design of their labor market reforms?," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 56(4), pages 621-642, October.
    2. van Ours, Jan C. & Vodopivec, Milan, 2005. "How Changes in Benefits Entitlement Affect the Duration of Unemployment," CEPR Discussion Papers 4962, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Blanchard, Olivier & Wolfers, Justin, 2000. "The Role of Shocks and Institutions in the Rise of European Unemployment: The Aggregate Evidence," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(462), pages 1-33, March.
    4. Jean-Paul Fitoussi, 2006. "Macroeconomic Policies and Institutions," 'Angelo Costa' Lectures Serie, SIPI Spa, issue Lect. VII.
    5. Nickell, Stephen & Layard, Richard, 1999. "Labor market institutions and economic performance," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 46, pages 3029-3084, Elsevier.
    6. repec:ces:ifodic:v:1:y:2003:i:2:p:14567946 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Stephen Nickell & Luca Nunziata & Wolfgang Ochel, 2005. "Unemployment in the OECD Since the 1960s. What Do We Know?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 115(500), pages 1-27, January.
    8. Walter Korpi, 2002. "The Great Trough in Unemployment: a Long-term View of Unemployment, Inflation, Strikes, and the Profit/Wage Ratio," Politics & Society, , vol. 30(3), pages 365-426, September.
    9. Lalive, Rafael & Zweimuller, Josef, 2004. "Benefit entitlement and unemployment duration: The role of policy endogeneity," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 2587-2616, December.
    10. Stephen Nickell, 1997. "Unemployment and Labor Market Rigidities: Europe versus North America," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 55-74, Summer.
    11. Vincenzo Cassino & Richard Thornton, 2002. "Do changes in structural factors explain movements in the equilibrium rate of unemployment?," Bank of England working papers 153, Bank of England.
    12. Virginia Hernanz & Franck Malherbet & Michele Pellizzari, 2004. "Take-Up of Welfare Benefits in OECD Countries: A Review of the Evidence," OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers 17, OECD Publishing.
    13. van Ours, J.C., 2003. "Has the Dutch Miracle Come to an End?," Other publications TiSEM fd377e7a-c4e4-45e2-bf8c-9, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    14. Barr, Nicholas, 1992. "Economic Theory and the Welfare State: A Survey and Interpretation," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 30(2), pages 741-803, June.
    15. Amable, Bruno, 2003. "The Diversity of Modern Capitalism," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199261147.
    16. Andrea Bassanini & Romain Duval, 2006. "Employment Patterns in OECD Countries: Reassessing the Role of Policies and Institutions," OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers 35, OECD Publishing.
    17. Atkinson, Anthony B & Micklewright, John, 1991. "Unemployment Compensation and Labor Market Transitions: A Critical Review," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 29(4), pages 1679-1727, December.
    18. Jean-Paul Fitoussi, 2003. "Comments on Nickell, Nunziata, Ochel and Quintini," Post-Print hal-03568108, HAL.
    19. Barr, Nicholas, 1992. "Economic theory and the welfare state : a survey and interpretation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 279, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Siebert, Horst, 1997. "Labor market rigidities and unemployment in Europe," Kiel Working Papers 787, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    21. Stephen Nickell, 2003. "Labour Market Institutions and Unemployment in OECD Countries," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 1(02), pages 13-26, October.
    22. Broersma, Lourens & Koeman, Jan & Teulings, Coen, 2000. "Labour Supply, the Natural Rate, and the Welfare State in The Netherlands: The Wrong Institutions at the Wrong Point in Time," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 52(1), pages 96-118, January.
    23. Manning, Alan, 1998. " Comment on B. Holmlund, "Unemployment Insurance in Theory and Practice."," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(1), pages 143-145, March.
    24. Dean Baker & Andrew Glyn & David Howell & John Schmitt, 2002. "Labor Market Institutions and Unemployment: A Critical Assessment of the Cross-Country Evidence," SCEPA working paper series. 2002-17, Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA), The New School.
    25. Richard B. Freeman, 2000. "Single Peaked Vs. Diversified Capitalism: The Relation Between Economic Institutions and Outcomes," NBER Working Papers 7556, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    26. Bertil Holmlund, 1998. "Unemployment Insurance in Theory and Practice," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(1), pages 113-141, March.
    27. Helen Russell & Philip J. O'Connell, 2001. "Getting a Job in Europe: The Transition from Unemployment to Work among Young People in Nine European Countries," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 15(1), pages 1-24, March.
    28. Horst Siebert, 1997. "Labor Market Rigidities: At the Root of Unemployment in Europe," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 37-54, Summer.
    29. Nickell, Stephen, 1998. "Unemployment: Questions and Some Answers," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 108(448), pages 802-816, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Harald Hagemann & Ralf Rukwid, 2007. "Perspectives of Workers with Low Qualifications in Germany under the Pressures of Globalization and Technical Progress," Diskussionspapiere aus dem Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Hohenheim 291/2007, Department of Economics, University of Hohenheim, Germany.
    2. Soskice, David & Carlin, Wendy, 2007. "Reforms, Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Performance in Germany," CEPR Discussion Papers 6415, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Michael Feil, 2012. "Taxation and unemployment: (systematic) evidence from panel data analysis," EcoMod2012 4472, EcoMod.
    4. Bruno Amable, 2007. "La fin du modèle européen ?," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 117(4), pages 551-575.
    5. Rafael Fernández & Enrique Palazuelos, 2009. "Labor productivity: a comparative analysis of the European Union and United States, for the period 1994-2007," Working Papers wp208, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    6. Sangheon Lee & Deirdre McCann & Nina Torm, 2008. "The World Bank's “Employing Workers” index: Findings and critiques – A review of recent evidence," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 147(4), pages 416-432, December.
    7. Salah Ahmed & Ali Aljane, 2014. "Labor Regulation and Unemployment: The Case of Tunisia," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(4), pages 3-13.
    8. Richard B. Freeman, 2007. "Labor Market Institutions Around the World," NBER Working Papers 13242, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Jean-Paul Fitoussi & Eloi Laurent, 2009. "Macroeconomic and social policies in the EU 15: the last two decades," Sciences Po publications 2009-21, Sciences Po.
    10. Sebastian Weber, 2006. "Labor Market Structures, Trade and their Effect on Unemployment: A Theoretical Analysis and Empirical Investigation," IHEID Working Papers 22-2006, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies.
    11. repec:ilo:ilowps:424147 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. John Schmitt & Dean Baker, 2006. "Old Europe Goes to Work: Rising Employment Rates in the European Union," CEPR Reports and Issue Briefs 2006-23, Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR).
    13. John Schmitt & Dean Baker, 2007. "Old Europe Goes to Work," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(3), pages 99-106.
    14. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/5l6uh8ogmqildh09h469h02a5 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. C.W.M. Naastepad & Servaas Storm, 2010. "Feasible Egalitarianism: Demand-led Growth, Labour and Technology," Chapters, in: Mark Setterfield (ed.), Handbook of Alternative Theories of Economic Growth, chapter 15, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    16. Chiara Mussida & Dario Sciulli, 2016. "The trend over time of labour market opportunities for young people in Italy," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 33(2), pages 291-321, August.
    17. Sharkh, Miriam Abu., 2008. "Are there optimal global configurations of labour market flexibility and security? : Tackling the "flexicurity" oxymoron," ILO Working Papers 994241473402676, International Labour Organization.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Howell David R. & Baker Dean & Glyn Andrew & Schmitt John, 2007. "Are Protective Labor Market Institutions at the Root of Unemployment? A Critical Review of the Evidence," Capitalism and Society, De Gruyter, vol. 2(1), pages 1-73, May.
    2. Andrea Bassanini & Romain Duval, 2006. "The Determinants of Unemployment across OECD Countries," Post-Print halshs-00120584, HAL.
    3. David R. Howell & Miriam Rehm, 2009. "Unemployment compensation and high European unemployment: a reassessment with new benefit indicators," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 25(1), pages 60-93, Spring.
    4. David R. Howell, 2010. "Institutions, Aggregate Demand and Cross-Country Employment Performance: Alternative Theoretical Perspectives and the Evidence," Working Papers wp228, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    5. Gayle Allard & Peter H. Lindert, 2006. "Euro-Productivity and Euro-Jobs since the 1960s: Which Institutions Really Mattered?," NBER Working Papers 12460, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Beissinger, Thomas, 2003. "Strukturelle Arbeitslosigkeit in Europa: Eine Bestandsaufnahme," University of Regensburg Working Papers in Business, Economics and Management Information Systems 389, University of Regensburg, Department of Economics.
    7. Beissinger, Thomas, 2003. "Strukturelle Arbeitslosigkeit in Europa : eine Bestandsaufnahme (Structural unemployment in Europe * an inventory)," Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 36(4), pages 411-427.
    8. Simon Sturn, 2011. "Labour market regimes and unemployment in OECD countries," IMK Working Paper 6-2011, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    9. Dosi, G. & Pereira, M.C. & Roventini, A. & Virgillito, M.E., 2017. "When more flexibility yields more fragility: The microfoundations of Keynesian aggregate unemployment," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 162-186.
    10. Silvia Fedeli & Vitantonio Mariella & Marco Onofri, 2018. "Determinants of Joblessness During the Economic Crisis: Impact of Criminality in the Italian Labour Market," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 139(2), pages 559-588, September.
    11. Alfred Stiglbauer, 2006. "The (New) OECD Jobs Study: Introduction and Assessment," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 3, pages 58-74.
    12. Bjørnstad, Roger & Kalstad, Kjartan Øren, 2010. "Increased price markup from union coordination: OECD panel evidence," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 4, pages 1-37.
    13. Johanna Kemper, 2016. "Resolving the Ambiguity: A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Employment Protection on Employment and Unemployment," KOF Working papers 16-405, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    14. Robert Dixon & G. C. Lim & Jan C. van Ours, 2017. "Revisiting the Okun relationship," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(28), pages 2749-2765, June.
    15. Gayle Allard & Peter H. Lindert, 2006. "Euro-Productivity and Euro-Jobs since the 1960s: Which Institutions Really Mattered?," NBER Working Papers 12460, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Simon STURN, 2013. "Are corporatist labour markets different? Labour market regimes and unemployment in OECD countries," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 152(2), pages 237-254, June.
    17. Tito Boeri & Jan van Ours, 2013. "The Economics of Imperfect Labor Markets: Second Edition," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 10142.
    18. Gebhard Flaig & Horst Rottmann, 2013. "Labour market institutions and unemployment: an international panel data analysis," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 40(4), pages 635-654, November.
    19. Salverda, Wiemer & Checchi, Daniele, 2014. "Labour-Market Institutions and the Dispersion of Wage Earnings," IZA Discussion Papers 8220, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    20. Bruno Amable & Lilas Demmou & Donatella Gatti, 2006. "Institutions, unemployment and inactivity in the OECD countries," PSE Working Papers halshs-00590495, HAL.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:epo:papers:2006-14. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ceprdus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.