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The Shimer-Puzzle of International Trade: A Quantitative Analysis

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  • Gabriel Felbermayr
  • Mario Larch
  • Wolfgang Lechthaler
  • Gabriel J. Felbermayr

Abstract

Recent theoretical literature studies how labor market reforms in one country can affect labor market outcomes in other countries, thereby rationalizing widely-held policy beliefs and empirical evidence. But what is the quantitative relevance of such spillover effects? This paper combines two recent workhorse models: the canonical search-and-matching framework and the heterogeneous firms international trade model. Qualitatively, the framework confirms that labor market reforms in one country benefit its trading partners, replicating the stylized facts. However, when wages are bargained flexibly, the model quantitatively underestimates the correlation of structural unemployment rates across countries. This mirrors the well-known finding by Shimer (2005) by which the standard search-and-matching model predicts too small fluctuations of unemployment rates over time. Introducing real wage rigidity remedies this problem.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriel Felbermayr & Mario Larch & Wolfgang Lechthaler & Gabriel J. Felbermayr, 2012. "The Shimer-Puzzle of International Trade: A Quantitative Analysis," ifo Working Paper Series 134, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ifowps:_134
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sebastian Benz & Erdal Yalcin, 2015. "Productivity Versus Employment: Quantifying the Economic Effects of an EU–Japan Free Trade Agreement," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(6), pages 935-961, June.
    2. Busl, Claudia & Seymen, Atılım, 2013. "The German labour market reforms in a European context: A DSGE analysis," ZEW Discussion Papers 13-097, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Gadatsch, Niklas & Stähler, Nikolai & Weigert, Benjamin, 2016. "German labor market and fiscal reforms 1999–2008: Can they be blamed for intra-euro area imbalances?," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 307-324.
    4. Fries, Claudia, 2015. "Spillover effects of labour market reforms in a three-country world," ZEW Discussion Papers 15-040, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    5. Gabriel Felbermayr & Mario Larch & Finn Krüger & Lisandra Flach & Erdal Yalcin & Sebastian Benz, 2013. "Dimensionen und Auswirkungen eines Freihandelsabkommens zwischen der EU und den USA," ifo Forschungsberichte, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 62.
    6. Gabriel Felbermayr & Mario Larch, 2013. "The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP): Potentials, Problems and Perspectives," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 14(2), pages 49-60, August.
    7. Gabriel Felbermayr & Mario Larch & Lisandra Flach & Erdal Yalcin & Sebastian Benz & Finn Krüger, 2013. "Dimensions and Effects of a Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 66(04), pages 22-31, February.
    8. Gabriel Felbermayr & Mario Larch & Gabriel J. Felbermayr, 2013. "The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP): Potentials, Problems and Perspectives," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 14(02), pages 49-60, August.
    9. Sebastian Benz & Erdal Yalcin, 2013. "Quantifying the Economic Effects of an EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement," CESifo Working Paper Series 4319, CESifo.
    10. Claudia Busl & Atilim Seymen, 2013. "(Spillover) Effects of Labour Market Reforms in Germany and France. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 8," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 46855, April.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F11 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Neoclassical Models of Trade
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

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