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Adjustment and the labor market

Author

Listed:
  • Fallon, Peter R.
  • Riveros, Luis A.

Abstract

How has the labor market responded to changes in macroeconomic conditions and related government policies? And to what extent has government intervention affected the microeconomic functioning of the labor market. Geographical immobility of workers does not seem to hinder adjustment. Labor is increasingly deployed in nontradables and import competing sectors, however, and problems of mobility between tradables and nontradables are reported. In addition, shortages of skilled manpower are reported. There is little evidence of wage resistence where wage indexation is not institutionalized. Traditional methods of wage support have become less important in the past two decades. Where effective minimum wage policies exist, they have the expected distortionary effects. Wage differences between the public and private sectors, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, have continued to widen, and the efficiency of the public sector has declined as a result. Job security regulations may be an obstacle to structural adjustment programs insofar as they hinder the release of labor from contracting sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Fallon, Peter R. & Riveros, Luis A., 1989. "Adjustment and the labor market," Policy Research Working Paper Series 214, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:214
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mincer, Jacob, 1976. "Unemployment Effects of Minimum Wages," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 84(4), pages 87-104, August.
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    3. Bruno, Michael, 1976. "The Two-Sector Open Economy and the Real Exchange Rate," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 66(4), pages 566-577, September.
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    5. Sebastian Edwards, 1990. "Capital Flows, Foreign Direct Investment, and Debt-Equity Swaps in Developing Countries," NBER Working Papers 3497, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Pierre‐Richard Agénor, 2004. "Macroeconomic Adjustment and the Poor: Analytical Issues and Cross‐Country Evidence," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(3), pages 351-408, July.
    2. repec:ilo:ilowps:282251 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Caballero, Ricardo J. & Hammour, Mohamad L., 1996. "On the ills of adjustment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 161-192, October.
    4. Horton, Susan & Kanbur, Ravi & Mazumdar, Dipak, 1991. "Labor markets in an era of adjustment : an overview," Policy Research Working Paper Series 694, The World Bank.
    5. Palle S. Andersen, 1991. "Labour market developments in developing countries," BIS Working Papers 16, Bank for International Settlements.
    6. Bell, Linda A., 1995. "The impact of minimum wages in Mexico and Colombia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1514, The World Bank.
    7. Infante R., 1991. "Labour market adjustment in Latin America: an appraisal of the social effects in the 1980s," ILO Working Papers 992822513402676, International Labour Organization.
    8. Fiszbein, Ariel, 1992. "Do workers in the informal sector benefit from cuts in the minimum wage?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 826, The World Bank.
    9. repec:ilo:ilowps:297942 is not listed on IDEAS

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