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Macroeconomic Fluctuations and the Timing of Labour Market Reforms

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  • Saint-Paul, Gilles

Abstract

In this Paper, I analyse the pros and cons of implementing structural reforms of the labour market in booms versus recessions, in light of considerations of social efficiency, political viability, and macroeconomic fine-tuning. While the optimal timing of a reform depends on the relative importance of several conflicting effects, it seems clear that a reform should be accompanied by an expansionary macroeconomic policy. This makes structural reform more problematic in the context of the European Monetary Union.

Suggested Citation

  • Saint-Paul, Gilles, 2002. "Macroeconomic Fluctuations and the Timing of Labour Market Reforms," CEPR Discussion Papers 3646, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:3646
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    as
    1. Bertola, Giuseppe, 1994. "Flexibility, investment, and growth," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 215-238, October.
    2. Samuel Bentolila & Giuseppe Bertola, 1990. "Firing Costs and Labour Demand: How Bad is Eurosclerosis?," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 57(3), pages 381-402.
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    5. Gilles Saint Paul & Samuel Bentolila, 2000. "Will EMU increase eurosclerosis?," Economics Working Papers 449, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    6. Saint-Paul, Gilles, 2000. "The Political Economy of Labour Market Institutions," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198293323, Decembrie.
    7. Gilles Saint-Paul, 2002. "The Political Economy of Employment Protection," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 110(3), pages 672-701, June.
    8. Saint-Paul, Gilles, 1997. "The Rise and Persistence of Rigidities," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(2), pages 290-294, May.
    9. Hopenhayn, Hugo & Rogerson, Richard, 1993. "Job Turnover and Policy Evaluation: A General Equilibrium Analysis," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 101(5), pages 915-938, October.
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    11. Gilles Saint-Paul, 1993. "On the Political Economy of Labor Market Flexibility," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 1993, Volume 8, pages 151-196, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Fernandez, Raquel & Rodrik, Dani, 1991. "Resistance to Reform: Status Quo Bias in the Presence of Individual-Specific Uncertainty," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 81(5), pages 1146-1155, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Reformas del mercado de trabajo, sindicatos y partidos socialdemócratas
      by Cives in Politikon on 2012-05-08 19:48:11

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    Cited by:

    1. Calcagnini, Giorgio & Ferrando, Annalisa & Giombini, Germana, 2014. "Does employment protection legislation affect firm investment? The European case," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 658-665.
    2. Roel M. W. J. Beetsma & Xavier Debrun, 2004. "Reconciling Stability and Growth: Smart Pacts and Structural Reforms," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 51(3), pages 431-456, November.
    3. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/6490 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Jean-Luc Gaffard, 2003. "Promouvoir la croissance en Europe : vérités et mystifications. Critique du rapport d'A. Sapir présenté à la Commission européenne en juillet 2003 : 'An Agenda for a Growing Europe. Making the EU Econ," Post-Print hal-01019489, HAL.
    5. Samuel Bentolila & Juan Dolado & Juan Jimeno, 2012. "Reforming an insider-outsider labor market: the Spanish experience," IZA Journal of European Labor Studies, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-29, December.
    6. Jaramillo, Miguel, 2019. "The unprotecting effects of employment protection: the impact of the 2001 labor reform in Peru," GLO Discussion Paper Series 299, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    7. repec:ces:ifodic:v:10:y:2012:i:2:p:18946366 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/6490 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Jaramillo, Miguel, 2018. "Los efectos desprotectores de la protección del empleo: El impacto de la reforma del contrato laboral de 2001," Revista Moneda, Banco Central de Reserva del Perú, issue 173, pages 31-36.
    10. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/6490 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Giancarlo Corsetti & Michael P. Devereux & John Hassler & Tim Jenkinson & Gilles Saint-Paul & Hans-Werner Sinn & Jan-Egbert Sturm & Xavier Vives, 2009. "Chapter 4: France," EEAG Report on the European Economy, CESifo, vol. 0, pages 141-164, February.
    12. Jean-Luc Gaffard, 2003. "Promouvoir la croissance en Europe : vérités et mystifications," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 87(4), pages 203-226.
    13. Calcagnini, Giorgio & Giombini, Germana & Saltari, Enrico, 2009. "Financial and labor market imperfections and investment," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 102(1), pages 22-26, January.
    14. Adam Gersl & Jan Zápal, 2010. "Economic Volatility and Institutional Reforms in Macroeconomic Policymaking: The Case of Fiscal Policy," Working Papers IES 2010/15, Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies, revised Aug 2010.
    15. Nadine Leiner-Killinger & Víctor López Pérez & Roger Stiegert & Giovanni Vitale, 2007. "Structural reforms in EMU and the role of monetary policy – a survey of the literature," Occasional Paper Series 66, European Central Bank.
    16. Samuel Bentolila & Juan J. Dolado & Juan F. Jimeno, 2012. "The New New Labour Market Reform in Spain: Objectives, Instruments, and Shortcomings," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 10(02), pages 03-07, August.
    17. Poplawski Ribeiro, Marcos & Beetsma, Roel, 2008. "The political economy of structural reforms under a deficit restriction," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 179-198, March.
    18. Giorgio Calcagnini & Germana Giombini & Enrico Saltari, 2009. "Firms? Investment in the Presence of Labor and Financial Market Imperfections," Working Papers 0901, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Economics, Society & Politics - Scientific Committee - L. Stefanini & G. Travaglini, revised 2009.
    19. Pierre Cahuc, 2005. "Le difficile retour en emploi des seniors," Revue Française d'Économie, Programme National Persée, vol. 20(1), pages 3-56.
    20. Jean-Luc Gaffard, 2003. "Promouvoir la croissance en Europe : vérités et mystifications. Critique du rapport d'A. Sapir présenté à la Commission européenne en juillet 2003 : 'An Agenda for a Growing Europe. Making the EU Econ," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-01019489, HAL.
    21. Adam Geršl & Martina Jašová & Jan Zápal, 2014. "Fiscal Councils and Economic Volatility," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 64(3), pages 190-212, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labour market reforms; Unemployment; Employment protection; Monetary union; Firing costs; Political economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General

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