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Testing for Keynesian Labor Demand

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  • Mark Bils
  • Peter J. Klenow
  • Benjamin A. Malin

Abstract

According to the textbook Keynesian model, short-run demand for labor is sensitive to the demand for goods. In this view, sellers deviate from setting the marginal product of labor proportional to the real wage, instead enduring or choosing lower price markups when demand for goods is high. We test this prediction across U.S. industries in the two decades up through the Great Recession. To identify movements in goods demand, we exploit how durability varies across 70 categories of consumption and investment. We also take into account the flexibility of prices and capital-intensity of production across goods. We find evidence in support of Keynesian Labor Demand.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Bils & Peter J. Klenow & Benjamin A. Malin, 2012. "Testing for Keynesian Labor Demand," NBER Working Papers 18149, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18149
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Di Pace, Federico & Hertweck, Matthias S., 2012. "Labour Market Frictions, Monetary Policy, and Durable Goods," Annual Conference 2012 (Goettingen): New Approaches and Challenges for the Labor Market of the 21st Century 62052, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Francesco D'Acunto & Ryan Liu & Carolin Pflueger & Michael Weber, 2017. "Flexible Prices and Leverage," CESifo Working Paper Series 6317, CESifo Group Munich.
    3. Yongsung Chang & Sun-Bin Kim & Mark Bils, 2013. "How Sticky Wages in Existing Jobs can affect Hiring," 2013 Meeting Papers 1162, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    4. Munechika Katayama & Kwang Hwan Kim, 2017. "Uncertainty Shocks and the Relative Price of Investment Goods," Discussion papers e-16-015, Graduate School of Economics , Kyoto University.
    5. Christopher J. Nekarda & Valerie A. Ramey, 2013. "The Cyclical Behavior of the Price-Cost Markup," NBER Working Papers 19099, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Opp, Marcus M. & Parlour, Christine A. & Walden, Johan, 2014. "Markup cycles, dynamic misallocation, and amplification," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 126-161.
    7. Zeno Enders, 2017. "Heterogeneous Consumers, Segmented Asset Markets, and the Real Effects of Monetary Policy," CESifo Working Paper Series 6467, CESifo Group Munich.
    8. Nir Jaimovich, 2015. "The Research Agenda: Nir Jaimovich on The changing nature of business cycles," EconomicDynamics Newsletter, Review of Economic Dynamics, vol. 16(2), November.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E12 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Keynes; Keynesian; Post-Keynesian
    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • E3 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles
    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook

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