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Productivity and Employment in a Developing Country: Evidence from Republic of Korea

Author

Listed:
  • Sangho Kim

    (Honam University)

  • Hyunjoon Lim

    (University of Rochester)

  • Donghyun Park

    (Asian Development Bank)

Abstract

The paper empirically investigates the relationship between productivity and employment in Republic of Korea using structural vector autoregression (VAR) models. Productivity-enhancing technology shocks significantly increase hours worked, which lends support to the real business cycle theory. The results show that technology shocks can explain most elements of a business cycle both in the short and long run. On the other hand, demand shocks can only explain price fluctuations. The evidence thus suggests that Korean policy makers should give higher priority to supply-side policies that promote technological progress and innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Sangho Kim & Hyunjoon Lim & Donghyun Park, 2008. "Productivity and Employment in a Developing Country: Evidence from Republic of Korea," ADB Economics Working Paper Series 116, Asian Development Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:adbewp:0116
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Laurence Ball & Robert Moffitt, 2001. "Productivity Growth and the Phillips Curve," NBER Working Papers 8421, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Hyunjoon Lim & Sangho Kim, 2004. "Does the Solow Residual for Korea Reflect Pure Technology Shocks?," Econometric Society 2004 Far Eastern Meetings 777, Econometric Society.
    3. Ellen R. McGrattan, 2004. "Comment on Gali and Rabanal's "Technology shocks and aggregate fluctuations: how well does the RBC model fit postwar U.S. data?"," Staff Report 338, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    4. Dedola, Luca & Neri, Stefano, 2007. "What does a technology shock do? A VAR analysis with model-based sign restrictions," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 512-549, March.
    5. Francis, Neville & Ramey, Valerie A., 2005. "Is the technology-driven real business cycle hypothesis dead? Shocks and aggregate fluctuations revisited," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(8), pages 1379-1399, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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