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Is Competition or Collusion in the Product Market Relevant for Labour Markets?

Author

Listed:
  • Fabian Bergès-Sennou
  • Stéphane Caprice

Abstract

In non-union models, there is an ambiguous relationship between collusion on the product market and the resulting impact on the labour market. We can derive some conclusions by assuming a dual labour market with qualified and unqualified workers and taking into account the efficiency effect when employing qualified workers. The framework adopted here consists of two firms competing to hire workers on the qualified labour market, and then competing (or colluding) on the product market to sell their production. While qualified workers are heterogeneous in their specialization, firms sell imperfect substitute goods on the product market. First, if the two firms collude in setting prices on the product market, this leads to an increase in the symmetric equilibrium wage in the qualified labour market, as well as a rise in productivity. Unions are not considered. Second, although the number of unqualified workers hired decreases along with the total employment, the wage bill can rise because of intensified competition on the qualified labour market. JEL Classification: J21, J31, L13, Q13.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabian Bergès-Sennou & Stéphane Caprice, 2008. "Is Competition or Collusion in the Product Market Relevant for Labour Markets?," Recherches économiques de Louvain, De Boeck Université, vol. 74(3), pages 273-298.
    • Handle: RePEc:cai:reldbu:rel_743_0273
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    Cited by:

    1. George Symeonidis, 2008. "Downstream Competition, Bargaining, and Welfare," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(1), pages 247-270, March.
    2. Pedro Gonzaga & António Brandão & Hélder Vasconcelos, 2013. "Theory of Collusion in the Labor Market," FEP Working Papers 477, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    3. George Symeonidis, 2008. "Downstream Competition, Bargaining, and Welfare," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(1), pages 247-270, 03.
    4. Pedro Gonzaga & António Brandão & Helder Vasconcelos, 2014. "Theory of Semi-Collusion in the Labor Market," FEP Working Papers 522, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    rent-sharing; employment; oligopoly; collusion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness

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