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Active labour market policies in a recession

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  • Torben Andersen
  • Michael Svarer

Abstract

A major labour market challenge following the Great Recession is to avoid an increase in long-term unemployment and thus the structural unemployment rate. Active labour market policies may play an important role in this respect. We consider these issues with outset in Denmark which is a country relying extensively on active labour market policies. It is also characterised by high flows into and out of employment, implying that most unemployment spells are rather short and the unemployment rate is relative low. These features have been maintained despite the crisis, and in this sense the Danish flexicurity model has coped reasonably well with the crisis. The Danish active labour market policies have been continuously changed in light of experience, new knowledge and changes in the labour market situation. This paper reviews and discusses these changes in light of the recession and considers how the labour market has coped with the recession. Copyright Andersen and Svarer; licensee Springer. 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Torben Andersen & Michael Svarer, 2012. "Active labour market policies in a recession," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:izalpo:v:1:y:2012:i:1:p:1-19:10.1186/2193-9004-1-7
    DOI: 10.1186/2193-9004-1-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonas Maibom & Michael Rosholm & Michael Svarer, 2017. "Experimental Evidence on the Effects of Early Meetings and Activation," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 119(3), pages 541-570, July.
    2. Pieter Gautier & Paul Muller & Bas van der Klaauw & Michael Rosholm & Michael Svarer, 2018. "Estimating Equilibrium Effects of Job Search Assistance," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(4), pages 1073-1125.
    3. Michael Lechner & Conny Wunsch, 2009. "Are Training Programs More Effective When Unemployment Is High?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 27(4), pages 653-692, October.
    4. Kluve, Jochen, 2010. "The effectiveness of European active labor market programs," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 904-918, December.
    5. Vikström, Johan & Rosholm, Michael & Svarer, Michael, 2011. "The Relative Efficiency of Active Labour Market Policies: Evidence From a Social Experiment and Non-Parametric Methods," Working Papers 11-4, University of Aarhus, Aarhus School of Business, Department of Economics.
    6. Forslund, Anders & Fredriksson, Peter & Vikström, Johan, 2011. "What active labor market policy works in a recession?," Working Paper Series 2011:2, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    7. Vikström, Johan & Rosholm, Michael & Svarer, Michael, 2011. "The relative efficiency of active labour market policy: evidence from a social experiment and non-parametric methods," Working Paper Series 2011:7, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    8. Torben Andersen, 2012. "A Flexicurity Labour Market in the Great Recession: The Case of Denmark," De Economist, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 117-140, June.
    9. Torben M. Andersen & Michael Svarer, 2007. "Flexicurity: Labour Market Performance in Denmark," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 53(3), pages 389-429, September.
    10. Rosholm, Michael, 2008. "Experimental Evidence on the Nature of the Danish Employment Miracle," IZA Discussion Papers 3620, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Torben M. Andersen & Michael Svarer, 2011. "State Dependent Unemployment Benefits," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 78(2), pages 325-344, June.
    12. Blasco, Sylvie & Rosholm, Michael, 2011. "The Impact of Active Labour Market Policy on Post-Unemployment Outcomes: Evidence from a Social Experiment in Denmark," IZA Discussion Papers 5631, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Romain Bouis & Orsetta Causa & Lilas Demmou & Romain Duval & Aleksandra Zdzienicka, 2012. "The Short-Term Effects of Structural Reforms: An Empirical Analysis," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 949, OECD Publishing.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bas Weel, 2015. "Unemployment: The Great Recession and Beyond," De Economist, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 405-413, December.
    2. Catia Montagna & Hassan Molana & Daniel Kopasker & Holger Görg, 2013. "Negative Shocks, Job Creation, and Selection. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 11," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 46858, April.
    3. Per Madsen, 2013. "“Shelter from the storm?” - Danish flexicurity and the crisis," IZA Journal of European Labor Studies, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 2(1), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Hendrik Dalen & Kène Henkens, 2013. "Dilemmas of Downsizing During the Great Recession: Crisis Strategies of European Employers," De Economist, Springer, vol. 161(3), pages 307-329, September.
    5. Gunther Tichy, 2014. "Flexicurity – ein an seiner Umsetzung scheiterndes Konzept," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 87(8), pages 537-553, August.
    6. Liotti, Giorgio, 2020. "Labour market flexibility, economic crisis and youth unemployment in Italy," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 150-162.
    7. Torben Andersen, 2015. "The Danish Flexicurity Labour Market During the Great Recession," De Economist, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 473-490, December.
    8. Ulrike Huemer & Rainer Eppel & Marion Kogler & Helmut Mahringer & Lukas Schmoigl & David Pichler, 2021. "Effektivität von Instrumenten der aktiven Arbeitsmarktpolitik in unterschiedlichen Konjunkturphasen," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 67250, April.
    9. Bofinger, Peter & Buch, Claudia M. & Feld, Lars P. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Wieland, Volker, 2013. "Gegen eine rückwärtsgewandte Wirtschaftspolitik. Jahresgutachten 2013/14 [Against a backward-looking economic policy. Annual Report 2013/14]," Annual Economic Reports / Jahresgutachten, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, volume 127, number 201314.
    10. Knut Røed, 2012. "Active social insurance," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-22, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Active labour market policy; Long-term unemployment; Great recession; J60; J38; E32;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

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