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Employment and Exchange Rates: The Role of Openness and Technology

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  • Alexandre, Fernando

    (University of Minho)

  • Bação, Pedro

    (University of Coimbra)

  • Cerejeira, João

    (University of Minho)

  • Portela, Miguel

    (University of Minho)

Abstract

Real exchange rate movements are important drivers of the reallocation of resources between sectors of the economy. Economic theory suggests that the impact of exchange rates should vary with the degree of exposure to international competition and with the technology level. This paper contributes by bringing together these two views, both theoretically and empirically. We show that both the degree of openness and the technology level mediate the impact of exchange rate movements on labour market developments. According to our estimations, whereas employment in high-technology sectors seems to be relatively immune to changes in real exchange rates, these appear to have sizable and significant effects on highly open low-technology sectors. The analysis of job flows suggests that the impact of exchange rates on these sectors occurs through employment destruction.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandre, Fernando & Bação, Pedro & Cerejeira, João & Portela, Miguel, 2009. "Employment and Exchange Rates: The Role of Openness and Technology," IZA Discussion Papers 4191, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4191
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    Cited by:

    1. Fernando Alexandre & Pedro Bação & João Cerejeira & Miguel Portela, 2010. "Manufacturing employment and exchange rates in the Portuguese economy: the role of openness, technology and labour market rigidity," GEMF Working Papers 2010-23, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    2. Fernando Alexandre & Pedro Bação & João Cerejeira & Miguel Portela, 2010. "Employment, exchange rates and labour market rigidity," NIPE Working Papers 2/2010, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.
    3. Pedro Bação & António Portugal Duarte & Diana Machado, 2016. "Exchange Rates, the Competitiveness of Nations and Unemployment," GEMF Working Papers 2016-14, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    4. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/10221 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Fernando Alexandre & Pedro Bação & João Cerejeira & Miguel Portela, 2011. "Employment and Exchange Rates: The Role of Openness and Technology," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 969-984, November.
    6. Ligia Alba Melo & Carlos Andrés Ballesteros, 2013. "Creación, destrucción y reasignación del empleo en el sector manufacturero colombiano," Revista de Economía Institucional, Universidad Externado de Colombia - Facultad de Economía, vol. 15(28), pages 281-311, January-J.
    7. Nicolas Berman & Philippe Martin & Thierry Mayer, 2009. "How do Different Exporters React to Exchange Rate Changes? Theory, Empirics and Aggregate Implications," Working Papers 2009-32, CEPII research center.
    8. Pedro Bação & Sara Cerdeira & António Portugal Duarte, 2019. "Portugal in the Eurozone: Evolution and Expectations," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business (continues Analele Stiintifice), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 66(si), pages 173-189, December.
    9. Julian P. Christ & Patricia Hofmann, 2010. "International Openness and Patent Activity: First Descriptive Results Very preliminary draft," DEGIT Conference Papers c015_055, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    10. Boris Kaiser & Michael Siegenthaler, 2016. "The Skill‐biased Effects of Exchange Rate Fluctuations," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 0(592), pages 756-780, May.
    11. Youngho Kang, 2017. "Job Destruction and the Impact of Imports on Wages in U.S. Manufacturing," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 711-730, September.
    12. Pedro Bação & António Portugal Duarte & Diana Machado, 2016. "Exchange Rates, the Competitiveness of Nations and Unemployment," GEMF Working Papers 2016-14, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    13. Chama CHIPETA & Daniel Francois MEYER, 2018. "Trade Openness, FDI and Exchange Rate Effects on Job Creation in South Africa's Tradable Sectors," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 10(4), pages 197-212.
    14. Chipeta Chama & Meyer Daniel Francois & Muzindutsi Paul-Francois, 2017. "The Effect of Exchange Rate Movements and Economic Growth on Job Creation," Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Oeconomica, Sciendo, vol. 62(2), pages 20-41, August.
    15. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/10221 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Helena Glebocki Keefe & Sujata Saha, 2022. "Threshold effects of openness on real and nominal effective exchange rates in emerging and developing economies," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(5), pages 1386-1408, May.
    17. Nicolas Berman & Philippe Martin & Thierry Mayer, 2009. "How do Different Exporters React to Exchange Rate Changes? Theory, Empirics and Aggregate Implications," Working Papers 2009-32, CEPII research center.
    18. Pedro Bação & António Portugal Duarte, 2011. "Accession to the European Union, Interest Rates and Indebtedness: Greece and Portugal," Book Chapters, in: Mirjana Radovic Markovic & Srdjan Redzepagic & João Sousa Andrade & Paulino Teixeira (ed.), Serbia and the European Union: Economic Lessons from the New Member States, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 4, pages 61-76, Institute of Economic Sciences.
    19. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/10221 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Fernando Alexandre & Hélder Costa & Miguel Portela & Miguel Rodrigues, 2018. "Asymmetric regional dynamics: from bust to recovery," NIPE Working Papers 17/2018, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.
    21. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/10221 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Muhammad Salah Uddin & Zobayer Ahmed & Mahadi Hasan, 2022. "The Relationship Between the Exchange Rate, Terms of Trade and Employment in Turkey," Apuntes del Cenes, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, vol. 41(74), pages 177-200, July.
    23. Fernando Alexandre & Pedro Bação & João Cerejeira & Miguel Portela, 2017. "Exchange Rates, Employment and Labour Market Rigidity," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(5), pages 993-1011, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    international trade; exchange rates; job flows;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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