IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/see/wpaper/39.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Job creation and job destruction in Estonia: labour reallocation and structural changes

Author

Listed:
  • Jaan Masso
  • Raul Eamets
  • Kaia Philips

Abstract

This paper documents and analyses gross job flows and their determinants in Estonia over the years 1995-2001, using a unique database from the Estonian Business Registry. This database contains all (including also micro and small firms) officially registered firms in Estonia, the total number being almost 52,000. There are several important findings in the paper. Our results show that job flows (job creation and job destruction rates) have been extremely high in Estonia and are comparable to the levels documented for the US. These rates have not decreased recently, although worker flows (transitions between labour market states) have dropped. We also found that the firm-specific component in job flows excess of employment change had relatively lower importance than in western studies due to the emergence of small and medium-sized enterprises and labour reallocation between the economic sectors. The high inter-sectoral mobility has helped maintain high levels of job flows, while both are high also due to a favourable institutional environment, especially due to low start-up costs and a large share of micro enterprises.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaan Masso & Raul Eamets & Kaia Philips, 2004. "Job creation and job destruction in Estonia: labour reallocation and structural changes," UCL SSEES Economics and Business working paper series 39, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES).
    • Handle: RePEc:see:wpaper:39
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/17537/1/17537.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stefano Scarpetta & Philip Hemmings & Thierry Tressel & Jaejoon Woo, 2002. "The Role of Policy and Institutions for Productivity and Firm Dynamics: Evidence from Micro and Industry Data," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 329, OECD Publishing.
    2. Jozef Konings & Olga Kupets & Hartmut Lehmann, 2002. "Gross Job Flows in Ukraine: Size, Ownership and Trade Effects," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 521, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    3. Campos, Nauro F. & Aurelijus Dabusinskas, 2002. "So Many Rocket Scientists, So Few Marketing Clerks: Occupational Mobility in Times of Rapid Technological Change," Royal Economic Society Annual Conference 2002 38, Royal Economic Society.
    4. Burgess, Simon & Lane, Julia & Stevens, David, 2000. "Job Flows, Worker Flows, and Churning," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 18(3), pages 473-502, July.
    5. Brown, J. David & Earle, John S., 2002. "Gross Job Flows in Russian Industry Before and After Reforms: Has Destruction Become More Creative?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 96-133, March.
    6. John Baldwin & Timothy Dunne & John Haltiwanger, 1998. "A Comparison Of Job Creation And Job Destruction In Canada And The United States," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(3), pages 347-356, August.
    7. Raul Eamets & Urmas Varblane & Kaja Sostra, 2003. "External Macroeconomic Shocks and the Estonian economy: How did the Russian Financial Crisis affect Estonian Unemployment and Foreign Trade?," Baltic Journal of Economics, Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studies, vol. 3(2), pages 5-24, July.
    8. Pedro Portugal & Olivier Blanchard, 2001. "What Hides Behind an Unemployment Rate: Comparing Portuguese and U.S. Labor Markets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(1), pages 187-207, March.
    9. Eric Bartelsman & Stefano Scarpetta & Fabiano Schivardi, 2003. "Comparative Analysis of Firm Demographics and Survival: Micro-Level Evidence for the OECD Countries," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 348, OECD Publishing.
    10. Steven J. Davis & John C. Haltiwanger & Scott Schuh, 1998. "Job Creation and Destruction," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262540932, December.
    11. John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira, 2003. "The Economics of Employment Protection," Journal of Labor Research, Transaction Publishers, vol. 24(1), pages 85-129, January.
    12. Lehmann, Hartmut & Philips, Kaia & Wadsworth, Jonathan, 2005. "The incidence and cost of job loss in a transition economy: displaced workers in Estonia, 1989 to 1999," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 59-87, March.
    13. Sanghoon Ahn, 2001. "Firm Dynamics and Productivity Growth: A Review of Micro Evidence from OECD Countries," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 297, OECD Publishing.
    14. Faggio, Giulia & Konings, Jozef, 2003. "Job creation, job destruction and employment growth in transition countries in the 90s," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 129-154, June.
    15. Haltiwanger, John C. & Vodopivec, Milan, 2002. "Gross worker and job flows in a transition economy: an analysis of Estonia," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(5), pages 601-630, November.
    16. Garibaldi, Pietro, 1998. "Job flow dynamics and firing restrictions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 245-275, February.
    17. Steven J. Davis & John Haltiwanger, 1992. "Gross Job Creation, Gross Job Destruction, and Employment Reallocation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(3), pages 819-863.
    18. Philippe Aghion & Peter Howitt, 1994. "Growth and Unemployment," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 61(3), pages 477-494.
    19. Caballero, Ricardo J. & Hammour, Mohamad L., 1996. "On the ills of adjustment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 161-192, October.
    20. Richard Ericson & Ariel Pakes, 1995. "Markov-Perfect Industry Dynamics: A Framework for Empirical Work," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 62(1), pages 53-82.
    21. John Haltiwanger & Scott Schuh, 1999. "Gross job flows between plants and industries," New England Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, issue Mar, pages 41-64.
    22. Swati Basu & Saul Estrin & Jan Svejnar, 1997. "Employment and wage behaviour of industrial enterprises in transition economies: The cases of Poland and Czechoslovakia1," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 5(2), pages 271-287, November.
    23. Jovanovic, Boyan, 1982. "Selection and the Evolution of Industry," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(3), pages 649-670, May.
    24. Eamets, Raul & Masso, Jaan, 2004. "Labour Market Flexibility and Employment Protection Regulation in the Baltic States," IZA Discussion Papers 1147, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    25. John Haltiwanger & Hartmut Lehmann & Katherine Terrell, 2003. "Job Creation and Job Destruction in Transition Countries," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 11(2), pages 205-219, June.
    26. Alessandro Acquisti & Hartmut Lehmann, 2000. "Job Creation and Job Destruction in the Russian Federation," Trinity Economics Papers 20001, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.
    27. Davis, Steven J. & Haltiwanger, John, 1999. "Gross job flows," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 41, pages 2711-2805, Elsevier.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jaan Masso & Urmas Varblane & Priit Vahter, 2010. "The Impact Of Outward Fdi On Home-Country Employment In A Low-Cost Transition Economy," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: David A Dyker (ed.), Network Dynamics In Emerging Regions Of Europe, chapter 16, pages 333-360, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Rahmanov, Ramiz & Qasimov, Asif & Tahirova, Gulzar, 2016. "The Labor Market in Azerbaijan," EconStor Preprints 142694, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    3. Oznur Ozdamar & Eleftherios Giovanis & Sahizer Samuk, 2020. "State business relations and the dynamics of job flows in Egypt and Turkey," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(4), pages 519-558, December.
    4. Saima Bashir & Tesfa Gebremedhin, 2011. "An Analysis of the Relationship Between New Firm Formation and Economic Development in the Northeast Region of the United States," Working Papers Working Paper 2011-02, Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University.
    5. Saima Bashir & Tesfa Gebremedhin, 2011. "An Analysis Of The Relationship Between New Firm Formation And Economic Development In The Northeast Region Of The United States," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(03), pages 289-306.
    6. Masso, Jaan & Eamets, Raul & Philips, Kaia, 2004. "Creative Destruction and Transition: The Effects of Firm Entry and Exit on Productivity Growth in Estonia," IZA Discussion Papers 1243, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Emmanuel Mensah & Solomon Owusu & Neil Foster-McGregor & Adam Szirmai, 2023. "Structural Change, Productivity Growth and Labour Market Turbulence in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 32(3), pages 175-208.
    8. Mensah, Emmanuel & Owusu, Solomon & Foster-McGregor, Neil & Szirmai, Adam, 2018. "Structural change, productivity growth and labour market turbulence in Africa," MERIT Working Papers 2018-025, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    9. repec:rri:wpaper:201102 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Jacek Socha, 2006. "Tworzenie i likwidacja miejsc pracy w sektorze przedsiębiorstw w Polsce," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 5-6, pages 1-20.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jaan Masso & Raul Eamets & Kaia Philips, 2004. "Where Have All The Jobs Gone? Gross Job Flows In Estonia," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 28, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    2. Jozef Konings & Olga Kupets & Hartmut Lehmann, 2002. "Gross Job Flows in Ukraine: Size, Ownership and Trade Effects," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 521, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    3. Atanas Christev & Olga Kupets & Hartmut Lehmann, 2008. "Trade Liberalisation and Employment Effects in Ukraine," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 50(2), pages 318-340, June.
    4. J. David Brown & John S. Earle, 2004. "Economic Reforms and Productivity-Enhancing Reallocation in the Post-Soviet Transition," Upjohn Working Papers 04-98, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    5. Jozef Konings & Olga Kupets & Hartmut Lehmann, 2003. "Gross job flows in Ukraine," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 11(2), pages 321-356, June.
    6. Martin-Barroso, David & Nuñez-Serrano, Juan Andres & Turrion, Jaime & Velazquez, Francisco J., 2011. "The European Map of Job Flows," MPRA Paper 33602, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2011.
    7. Faggio, Giulia & Konings, Jozef, 2003. "Job creation, job destruction and employment growth in transition countries in the 90s," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 129-154, June.
    8. Lehmann, Hartmut & Philips, Kaia & Wadsworth, Jonathan, 2005. "The incidence and cost of job loss in a transition economy: displaced workers in Estonia, 1989 to 1999," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 59-87, March.
    9. Carlos Carreira & Paulino Teixeira, 2008. "Internal and external restructuring over the cycle: a firm-based analysis of gross flows and productivity growth in Portugal," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 211-220, June.
    10. Joanna Tyrowicz & Lucas Velde & Jan Svejnar, 2017. "Effects Of Labor Reallocation On Productivity And Inequality—Insights From Studies On Transition," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 712-732, July.
    11. J. David Brown & John S. Earle, "undated". "The Reallocation of Workers and Jobs in Russian Industry: New Evidence on Measures and Determinants," Upjohn Working Papers jse20031, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    12. Dong, Xiao-yuan & Xu, Lixin Colin, 2009. "Labor restructuring in China: Toward a functioning labor market," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 287-305, June.
    13. Gomez-Salvador, Ramon & Messina, Julian & Vallanti, Giovanna, 2004. "Gross job flows and institutions in Europe," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 469-485, August.
    14. Faggio, Giulia & Konings, Jozef, 1999. "Gross Job Flows and Firm Growth in Transition Countries: Evidence Using Firm Level Data on Five Countries," CEPR Discussion Papers 2261, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    15. R. Jason Faberman, 2003. "Job Flows and Establishment Characteristics: Variations Across U.S. Metropolitan Areas," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 2003-609, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    16. repec:eee:labchp:v:3:y:1999:i:pb:p:2711-2805 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Joanna Tyrowicz & Lucas van der Velde, 2014. "Can We Really Explain Worker Flows in Transition Economies?," Working Papers 2014-28, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    18. J. David Brown & John S. Earle, 2002. "Job Reallocation and Productivity Growth under Alternative Economic Systems and Policies: Evidence from the Soviet Transition," CERT Discussion Papers 0208, Centre for Economic Reform and Transformation, Heriot Watt University.
    19. J David Brown & John S Earle, 2006. "Job Reallocation and Productivity Growth in the Ukrainian Transition," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 48(2), pages 229-251, June.
    20. Jan Svejnar & Joanna Tyrowicz & Lucas van der Velde, 2015. "Productivity and Inequality Effects of Rapid Labor Reallocation – Insights from a Meta-Analysis of Studies on Transition," Working Papers 2015-11, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    21. J. David Brown & John S. Earle, 2003. "The reallocation of workers and jobs in Russian industry," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 11(2), pages 221-252, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    job creation; job destruction; labour reallocation; Estonia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers
    • P2 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:see:wpaper:39. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/csescuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.