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Business Cycle Models, Aggregation, and Real Wage Cyclicality

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  • Audra Bowlus

    (University of Western Ontario)

  • Haoming Liu

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Chris Robinson

    (University of Western Ontario)

Abstract

A substantial literature has developed to estimate the "true" cyclicality of real wages, that is, composition bias free. Two major issues are addressed in this article: aggregation of heterogeneous workers and potential bias in the measurement of the labor input. A general analysis of the biases is presented, and alternative approaches in the literature are nested in a single framework. Estimates based on an efficiency units concept that avoids the usual aggregation problems are presented. Composition bias underestimates the usual parameters of interest unless both the price and the quantity of the labor input are adjusted appropriately.

Suggested Citation

  • Audra Bowlus & Haoming Liu & Chris Robinson, 2002. "Business Cycle Models, Aggregation, and Real Wage Cyclicality," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 20(2), pages 308-335, Part.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlabec:v:20:y:2002:i:2:p:308-335
    DOI: 10.1086/338219
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    Cited by:

    1. Chassamboulli, Andri, 2013. "Labor-market volatility in a matching model with worker heterogeneity and endogenous separations," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 217-229.
    2. Haoming Liu & Yi Wen & Lijing Zhu, 2007. "Uniform Working Hours and Structural Unemployment," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 8(1), pages 113-136, May.
    3. Federico Di Pace & Matthias Hertweck, 2019. "Labor Market Frictions, Monetary Policy, and Durable Goods," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 32, pages 274-304, April.
    4. Michael W. L. Elsby & Donggyun Shin & Gary Solon, 2016. "Wage Adjustment in the Great Recession and Other Downturns: Evidence from the United States and Great Britain," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(S1), pages 249-291.
    5. F. Di Pace & K. Mitra & S. Zhang, 2021. "Adaptive Learning and Labor Market Dynamics," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 53(2-3), pages 441-475, March.
    6. Lokshin, Boris & Mohnen, Pierre, 2013. "Do R&D tax incentives lead to higher wages for R&D workers? Evidence from The Netherlands," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 823-830.
    7. Mary C. Daly & Bart Hobijn & Theodore S. Wiles, 2011. "Aggregate real wages: macro fluctuations and micro drivers," Working Paper Series 2011-23, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
    8. Rui Castro & Daniele Coen-Pirani, 2008. "WHY HAVE AGGREGATE SKILLED HOURS BECOME SO CYCLICAL SINCE THE MID-1980s?," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 49(1), pages 135-185, February.
    9. Haoming Liu, 2003. "A cross-country comparison of the cyclicality of real wages," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 36(4), pages 923-948, November.
    10. Paul J. Devereux, 2004. "Cyclical Quality Adjustment in the Labor Market," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 70(3), pages 600-615, January.
    11. Wen, Yi & Zhu, Lijing & Liu, Haoming, 2001. "Uniform Working Hours: A Culprit of Structural Unemployment," Working Papers 01-20, Cornell University, Center for Analytic Economics.
    12. Hertweck, Matthias S., 2010. "Endogenous On-the-job Search and Frictional Wage Dispersion," Working papers 2010/02, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    13. Lili Kang & Fei Peng, 2017. "Wage flexibility in the Chinese labour market, 1989–2009," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(4), pages 616-628, April.
    14. Xinxin Ma & Shi Li, 2017. "The Effects of Minimum Wage on Wage Distribution in Urban China: Evidence from the CHIP Data," University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP) Working Papers 201724, University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP).
    15. Xin Xu & Robert Kaestner, 2010. "The Business Cycle and Health Behaviors," NBER Working Papers 15737, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Xu, Xin, 2013. "The business cycle and health behaviors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 126-136.
    17. Jin Song & Terry Sicular & Bjorn Gustafsson, 2017. "China's Urban Gender Wage Gap: A New Direction?," University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP) Working Papers 201723, University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP).
    18. Nicholas Apergis & Alexandros Panethimitakis, 2011. "Stylised facts of Greek business cycles: new evidence from aggregate and across regimes data," International Journal of Economics and Business Research, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 3(2), pages 147-165.
    19. Lokshin, Boris & Mohnen, Pierre, 2008. "Wage effects of R&D tax incentives:Evidence from the Netherlands," MERIT Working Papers 2008-034, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    20. Chris Robinson & Audra J. Bowlus, 2004. "Technological Change in the Production of Human Capital: Implications for Human Capital Stocks, Wages and Skill Differentials," 2004 Meeting Papers 218, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    21. Audra J. Bowlus & Haoming Liu & Chris Robinson, 2005. "Human Capital, Productivity and Growth," University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP) Working Papers 20052, University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP).

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