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Does Occupational Licensing Deserve Our Approval? A Review of Work by Morris Kleiner

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  • Uwe E. Reinhardt

Abstract

The licensing of occupations—a very forceful intervention in markets—is pervasive and growing in modern economies. Yet the attention paid to it by economists and economics textbooks has been small. Highly welcome, therefore, has been the extensive and intensive work on this subject by Morris Kleiner. Kleiner’s latest book, titled Stages of Occupational Regulation: Analysis of Case Studies (2013), explores the progression of occupational regulation, from mere registration to certification to outright licensing—three distinct stages. Kleiner carefully selects for his analysis a series of occupations representing the stages of regulation, devoting a chapter to each occupation. He uses a variety of statistical approaches to tease out, from numerous databases, what the impact of mild to heavy regulation on labor markets appears to be. Kleiner’s work leads him to call for a pervasive review of occupational regulation in the United States, with a view towards replacing occupational licensure, which introduces the most inefficiency and welfare loss, with mere certification of occupations. That recommendation gains plausibility in an age where cheap computation and data mining makes it possible to protect consumers from low-quality and possibly dangerous services by providing robust, user-friendly information on the quality of services delivered by competing occupations, such as doctors and nurse practitioners.

Suggested Citation

  • Uwe E. Reinhardt, 2014. "Does Occupational Licensing Deserve Our Approval? A Review of Work by Morris Kleiner," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 11(3), pages 318-325, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:ejw:journl:v:11:y:2014:i:3:p:318-325
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Morris M. Kleiner & Alan B. Krueger, 2013. "Analyzing the Extent and Influence of Occupational Licensing on the Labor Market," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 31(S1), pages 173-202.
    2. Morris M. Kleiner, 2013. "Stages of Occupational Regulation: Analysis of Case Studies," Books from Upjohn Press, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, number sor, November.
    3. Morris M. Kleiner, 2006. "Licensing Occupations: Ensuring Quality or Restricting Competition?," Books from Upjohn Press, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, number lo, November.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Occupational licensing; certification; registration; labor regulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J44 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Professional Labor Markets and Occupations
    • J48 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Particular Labor Markets; Public Policy

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