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Economic Integration and Labor Market Institutions: Worker Mobility, Earnings Risk, and Contract Structure

Author

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  • Schöb, Ronnie

    (Free University of Berlin)

  • Wildasin, David

    (University of Kentucky)

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of labor market integration, in the form of worker mobility, in a model with long-term labor contracts that lead to wage rigidities and unemployment. Reflecting the interdependence of regional labor markets, we develop a general-equilibrium framework where the contract structure is simultaneously determined in all regions. It is shown that increased mobility leads to more flexible labor market institutions in which firms can more easily vary the level of employment in response to fluctuations in demand. Economic integration is potentially Pareto-improving but, in the absence of a system of compensation, workers are harmed by greater labor mobility while the owners of firms benefit from higher profits.

Suggested Citation

  • Schöb, Ronnie & Wildasin, David, 2003. "Economic Integration and Labor Market Institutions: Worker Mobility, Earnings Risk, and Contract Structure," IZA Discussion Papers 945, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp945
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. He, Weijun & Wang, Bo & Danish, & Wang, Zhaohua, 2018. "Will regional economic integration influence carbon dioxide marginal abatement costs? Evidence from Chinese panel data," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 263-274.
    2. Agell Jonas, 2002. "On the Determinants of Labour Market Institutions: Rent Seeking vs. Social Insurance," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 3(2), pages 107-135, May.
    3. David E. Wildasin, 2000. "Factor mobility and fiscal policy in the EU: policy issues and analytical approaches," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 15(31), pages 338-378.
    4. Picard, Pierre M. & Wildasin, David E., 2011. "Outsourcing, labor market pooling, and labor contracts," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 47-60, July.
    5. Hans-Werner Sinn, 1999. "Inflation and Welfare: Comment on Robert Lucas," NBER Working Papers 6979, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Picard, Pierre M. & Wildasin, David, 2009. "Labor Market Pooling, Outsourcing and Labor Contracts," IZA Discussion Papers 4357, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Poutvaara, Panu, 1999. "Federation's alternative tax constitutions and risky education," ZEW Discussion Papers 99-42, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    8. Jonas Agell, 2001. "Warum haben wir rigide Arbeitsmärkte? Rent‐seeking versus Soziale Sicherung," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 2(4), pages 363-381, November.
    9. Zhiying Ji & Yuting Huang, 2023. "The Impact of Highway Infrastructure on Population Mobility: Evidence from a Sample of 800 Counties and Districts (2000–2019) in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-17, October.
    10. Lars Calmfors & Giancarlo Corsetti & Michael P. Devereux & Gilles Saint-Paul & Hans-Werner Sinn & Jan-Egbert Sturm & Xavier Vives, 2008. "Chapter 3: The effect of globalisation on Western European jobs: curse or blessing?," EEAG Report on the European Economy, CESifo, vol. 0, pages 71-104, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    labor market integration; migration; risk; unemployment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R0 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers

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