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Endogenous Growth, Efficency Wages, and Persistent Unemployment

Author

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  • Martin Zagler

    (Department of Economics, Vienna University of Economics & B.A.)

Abstract

This paper establishes theoretical relations between the level of unemployment and the economic growth rate. In a model with a monopolistically competitive manufacturing sector and a competitive innovation sector, which both pay efficiency wages, we find that the unemployment rate exhibits an unambiguously negative impact on the long-run growth performance, as it reduces the innovative capacity of the economy. Only if efficiency levels are different across sectors, we can also establish a causal relation from the growth rate to the rate of unemployment, since less innovation shifts the burden to induce efficiency towards the manufacturing sector, thus fostering unemployment.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Zagler, 1999. "Endogenous Growth, Efficency Wages, and Persistent Unemployment," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp066, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wiw:wiwwuw:wuwp066
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Theresa Grafeneder-Weissteiner & Klaus Prettner, 2009. "Agglomeration and population ageing in a two region model of exogenous growth," VID Working Papers 0901, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna.
    2. Engelbert Stockhammer & Paul Ramskogler, 2009. "Post-Keynesian economics How to move forward," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 6(2), pages 227-246.
    3. Theresa Grafeneder-Weissteiner, 2010. "Demographic change, growth and agglomeration," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp132, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    4. Harald Hagemann, 2010. "L. Albert Hahn’s economic theory of bank credit," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp134, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    5. Pasquale Commendatore & Ingrid Kubin & Carmelo Petraglia, 2009. "Footloose Capital and Productive Public Services," Chapters, in: Neri Salvadori & Pasquale Commendatore & Massimo Tamberi (ed.), Geography, Structural Change and Economic Development, chapter 1, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Riedl, Aleksandra & Rocha-Akis, Silvia, 2007. "Testing the tax competition theory: How elastic are national tax bases in western Europe?," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 112, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    7. Leopold Soegner & Alfred Stiassny, 2000. "A Cross-Country Study on Okun's Law," Working Papers geewp13, Vienna University of Economics and Business Research Group: Growth and Employment in Europe: Sustainability and Competitiveness.
    8. Steidl, Annemarie & Stockhammer, Engelbert, 2007. "Coming and leaving. Internal mobility in late Imperial Austria," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 107, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    9. Martin Currie & Ingrid Kubin, 2005. "Fixed Price Dynamics versus Flexible Price Dynamics," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp089, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    10. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Lim, King Yoong, 2018. "Unemployment, growth and welfare effects of labor market reforms," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 19-38.
    11. Gerlinde Fellner & Matthias Sutter, 2009. "Causes, Consequences, and Cures of Myopic Loss Aversion – An Experimental Investigation," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(537), pages 900-916, April.
    12. Harald Badinger & Ingrid Kubin, 2007. "Vom kurzfristigen zum mittelfristigen Gleichgewicht in einer offenen Volkswirtschaft unter fixen und flexiblen Wechselkursen," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp101, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    13. Alberto Bucci & Fabio Fiorillo & Stefano Staffolani, 2003. "Can Market Power Influence Employment, Wage Inequality and Growth?," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2‐3), pages 129-160, May.
    14. Engelbert Stockhammer & Paul Ramskogler, 2008. "Uncertainty and Exploitation in History," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(1), pages 175-194, March.
    15. Onaran, Özlem, 2007. "International financial markets and fragility in the Eastern Europe: "can it happen" here?," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 108, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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