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Regional Origins of Employment Volatility: Evidence from German States

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  • Claudia M. Buch
  • Martin Schlotter

Abstract

Openness for trade can have positive welfare effects in terms of higher growth. But increased openness may also increase uncertainty through a higher volatility of employment. We use regional data from Germany to test whether openness for trade has an impact on volatility. We find a downward trend in the unconditional volatility of employment, which has been interrupted by the re-unification period. Patterns are similar to those for output volatility. The conditional volatility of employment, measuring idiosyncratic developments across states, in contrast, has remained fairly unchanged. In contrast to evidence for the US, we do not find evidence for a significant link between employment volatility and trade openness.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudia M. Buch & Martin Schlotter, 2008. "Regional Origins of Employment Volatility: Evidence from German States," CESifo Working Paper Series 2296, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_2296
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    Cited by:

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    3. Francisco J. Pallares & Richard V. Adkisson, 2017. "The Impact of Industrial Diversification on Employment Growth in the 50 U.S. States: 2000-2013," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 31(4), pages 275-284, November.
    4. Piotr Ciżkowicz & Andrzej Rzońca & Wiktor Wojciechowski, 2012. "Determinanty regionalnych różnic w dynamice liczby pracujących w Polsce w latach 1999-2008," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 11-12, pages 59-77.
    5. Ayesha Ashraf & Dierk Herzer & Peter Nunnenkamp, 2017. "Greenfield FDI, cross-border M&As, and government size," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(5), pages 566-584, July.
    6. Ashraf, Ayesha, 2015. "The Effects of Greenfield FDI and Cross-Border M&As on Government Size," MPRA Paper 65061, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Ben Salha, Ousama, 2013. "Does economic globalization affect the level and volatility of labor demand by skill? New insights from the Tunisian manufacturing industries," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 572-597.
    8. Hasan Engin Duran, 2019. "Structural change and output volatility reduction in OECD countries: evidence of the Second Great Moderation," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-14, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    employment volatility; trade openness; regional labour markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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