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Unemployment in the European Union: Institutions, Prices, and Growth

Author

Listed:
  • Marika Karanassou

    () (Queen Mary, University of London)

  • Hector Sala

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

  • Dennis J. Snower

    (Birkbeck College)

Abstract

This paper presents a reappraisal of unemployment movements in the European Union. Our analysis is based on the chain reaction theory of unemployment, which focuses on (a) the interaction among labor market adjustment processes, (b) the interplay between these adjustment processes and the dynamic structure of labor market shocks, and (c) the interaction between the adjustment processes and economic growth. We divide the shocks into institutional variables, price variables, and growth drivers. Estimating a system of labor market equations for a panel of EU countries, we derive the dynamic unemployment responses to each shock. Our analysis permits us to distinguish between the short- and long-run effects of the shocks. Different shocks generate different degrees of "unemployment persistence" (responses to temporary shocks) and "unemployment responsiveness" (responses to permanent shocks). We find that the growth drivers play a dominant role in accounting for the main swings in EU unemployment.

Suggested Citation

  • Marika Karanassou & Hector Sala & Dennis J. Snower, 2003. "Unemployment in the European Union: Institutions, Prices, and Growth," Working Papers 493, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    • Handle: RePEc:qmw:qmwecw:wp493
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Karanassou, Marika & Snower, Dennis J., 2000. "Characteristics of Unemployment Dynamics: The Chain Reaction Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 127, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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    7. Karanassou, Marika & Sala, Hector & Snower, Dennis, 2003. "Unemployment in the European Union: a dynamic reappraisal," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 237-273, March.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Marika Karanassou & Hector Sala & Dennis Snower, 2007. "The macroeconomics of the labor market: three fundamental views," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 6(3), pages 151-180, December.
    2. Adam Elbourne & Debby Lanser & Bert Smid & Martin Vromans, 2008. "Macroeconomic resilience in a DSGE model," CPB Discussion Paper 96.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    3. Marika Karanassou & Hector Sala & Pablo F. Salvador, 2008. "Capital accumulation and unemployment: new insights on the Nordic experience," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 32(6), pages 977-1001, November.
    4. Marika Karanassou & Hector Sala & Dennis J. Snower, 2010. "Phillips Curves And Unemployment Dynamics: A Critique And A Holistic Perspective," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(1), pages 1-51, February.
    5. Marwa Sahnoun & Chokri Abdennadher, 2018. "The assessment of active labor market policies: evidence from OECD countries," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 35(2), pages 257-283, August.
    6. International Monetary Fund, 2007. "Portugal; Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2007/342, International Monetary Fund.
    7. Jeanfils, Philippe & Burggraeve, Koen, 2008. ""NONAME": A new quarterly model for Belgium," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 118-127, January.
    8. Andrea Vaona, 2005. "Multiplicatively Separable Preferences and Output Persistence," Birkbeck Working Papers in Economics and Finance 0511, Birkbeck, Department of Economics, Mathematics & Statistics.
    9. Jósef Sigurdsson, 2013. "Capital Investment and Equilibrium Unemployment," Economics wp61, Department of Economics, Central bank of Iceland.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unemployment; Natural rate; Labor market shocks; Chain reaction theory; Employment; Labor force participation; Wage determination; Dynamic contributions; Homogeneous dynamic panels; Panel unit root tests;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E30 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • E37 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • J32 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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