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Informality and the long run Phillips curve

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  • Mohammed Aït Lahcen

Abstract

This paper studies the implications of informality for the long run relationship between inflation, output and unemployment in developing economies. I present a monetary dynamic general equilibrium model with search frictions in both labor and goods markets and where informality is an equilibrium outcome. Policies that lead to a larger informal sector result in an upward shift in both the money demand relation and the Beveridge curve. In contrast, financial development reduces informality and shifts both the Beveridge curve and the money demand relation downwards. An increase in the long run inflation rate affects unemployment through two channels: On the one hand, higher inflation reduces the surplus of monetary trades which lowers firms' profits, job creation and increases unemployment. On the other hand, it shifts firms' hiring decision from high separation and cash intensive informal jobs to low separation formal jobs which reduces unemployment. I calibrate the model to the Brazilian economy and find that the existence of a large informal sector significantly dampens the long run effects of monetary policy on unemployment and output. This result points to the importance of accounting for informality in the conduct of monetary policy in developing economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammed Aït Lahcen, 2017. "Informality and the long run Phillips curve," ECON - Working Papers 248, Department of Economics - University of Zurich, revised Dec 2018.
  • Handle: RePEc:zur:econwp:248
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Korhan K. Gokmenoglu & Aysel Amir, 2023. "Investigating the Determinants of the Shadow Economy: The Baltic Region," Eastern European Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(2), pages 181-198, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Informality; Phillips curve; inflation; unemployment; search and matching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E26 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Informal Economy; Underground Economy
    • E41 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Demand for Money
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

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