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Thresholds for employment and unemployment: A spatial analysis of German regional labour markets, 1992–2000

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  • Reinhold Kosfeld
  • Christian Dreger

Abstract

. This paper applies Verdoorn's and Okun's law to derive efficient estimates of the employment and unemployment threshold in the Unified Germany. The analysis is built on a disaggregated dataset of regional labour markets, where spatial dependencies are taken into account. Especially, a spatial SUR model is proposed utilising the eigenfunction decomposition approach suggested by Griffith (1996, 2000). The thresholds turn out to be unstable over time. However, minimum output growth sufficient for a rise in employment is below the level needed for a drop in the unemployment rate. If spatial effects are ignored, the thresholds seem to be markedly overrated.

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  • Reinhold Kosfeld & Christian Dreger, 2006. "Thresholds for employment and unemployment: A spatial analysis of German regional labour markets, 1992–2000," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 85(4), pages 523-542, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:presci:v:85:y:2006:i:4:p:523-542
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1435-5957.2006.00096.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Ulrich Zierahn, 2012. "The importance of spatial autocorrelation for regional employment growth in Germany," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 32(1), pages 19-43, March.
    2. Roberto Patuelli & Norbert Schanne & Daniel A. Griffith & Peter Nijkamp, 2012. "Persistence Of Regional Unemployment: Application Of A Spatial Filtering Approach To Local Labor Markets In Germany," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(2), pages 300-323, May.
    3. Jorge Chica‐Olmo & Marina Checa‐Olivas, 2021. "Spatial impact of factors influencing the achievement of the Europa2020 employment targets," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(3), pages 633-649, June.
    4. Martinho, Vítor João Pereira Domingues, 2011. "What the keynesian theory said about Portugal?," MPRA Paper 32610, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Guisinger, Amy Y. & Hernandez-Murillo, Ruben & Owyang, Michael T. & Sinclair, Tara M., 2018. "A state-level analysis of Okun's law," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 239-248.
    6. Elhorst, J. Paul & Emili, Silvia, 2022. "A spatial econometric multivariate model of Okun's law," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    7. Boysen-Hogrefe, Jens & Pape, Markus, 2011. "More than just one labor market cycle in Germany? : an analysis of regional unemployment data," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 44(3), pages 279-292.
    8. Boysen-Hogrefe, Jens & Pape, Markus, 2011. "More than just one labor market cycle in Germany? : an analysis of regional unemployment data," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 44(3), pages 279-292.
    9. Helmut Herwartz & Annekatrin Niebuhr, 2017. "Regional Labor Market Performance in Europe," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 40(3), pages 270-296, May.
    10. Hans-Friedrich Eckey & Reinhold Kosfeld & Matthias Türck, 2007. "Regionale Entwicklung mit und ohne räumliche Spillover-Effekte," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 27(1), pages 23-42, February.
    11. Roberto Patuelli & Daniel A. Griffith & Michael Tiefelsdorf & Peter Nijkamp, 2006. "The Use of Spatial Filtering Techniques: The Spatial and Space-time Structure of German Unemployment Data," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 06-049/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    12. Celia Melguizo, 2017. "An analysis of Okun’s law for the Spanish provinces," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 37(1), pages 59-90, February.
    13. Roberto Patuelli & Daniel A. Griffith & Michael Tiefelsdorf & Peter Nijkamp, 2011. "Spatial Filtering and Eigenvector Stability: Space-Time Models for German Unemployment Data," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 34(2), pages 253-280, April.
    14. Herwartz, Helmut & Niebuhr, Annekatrin, 2011. "Regional labor demand and national labor market institutions in the EU15," HWWI Research Papers 112, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).
    15. Phiri, Andrew, 2014. "Re-evaluating Okun's law in South Africa: A nonlinear co-integration approach," MPRA Paper 57398, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. López-Hernández, Fernando A., 2013. "Second-order polynomial spatial error model. Global and local spatial dependence in unemployment in Andalusia," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 270-279.
    17. Buendía Azorín, José Daniel & Sánchez de la Vega, María del Mar, 2017. "Output growth thresholds for the creation of employment and the reduction of unemployment: A spatial analysis with panel data from the Spanish provinces, 2000–2011," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 42-49.
    18. Marta Yánez Contreras & Marta Yánez Contreras, 2010. "El mercado laboral desde una perspectiva espacial," Apuntes del Cenes, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, September.
    19. Nikolay Kaledin, 2013. "Societal geography and regionalization of society," ERSA conference papers ersa13p1334, European Regional Science Association.
    20. Eckey, Hans-Friedrich & Döring, Thomas & Türck, Matthias, 2006. "Convergence of regions from 23 EU member states," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 86, University of Kassel, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    21. Buendía Azorín, José Daniel. & Sánchez De La Vega, Mª Del Mar, 2017. "Estimación del valor añadido bruto, dependencia espacial y datos de panel: Evidencia en el caso de los municipios de la Región de Murcia /Estimation of Gross Value Added, Spatial Dependence and Panel ," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 35, pages 315-340, Mayo.
    22. Francisco Javier Escribá-Pérez & María José Murgui-García, 2018. "Technology catching-up and regulation in European regions," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 95-109, February.

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