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Agglomeration, congestion, and regional unemployment disparities

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Abstract

Regional labor markets are characterized by huge disparities between unemployment rates. Models of the New Economic Geography explain how disparities between regional goods markets endogenously arise but usually assume full employment. This paper discusses regional unemployment disparities by introducing a wage curve based on efficiency wages into the New Economic Geography. The model shows how disparities between regional goods and labor markets endogenously arise through the interplay of increasing returns to scale, transport costs, congestion costs, and migration. The level and stability of regional labor market disparities depends on the extend of labor market frictions. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

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  • Ulrich Zierahn, 2013. "Agglomeration, congestion, and regional unemployment disparities," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 51(2), pages 435-457, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:anresc:v:51:y:2013:i:2:p:435-457
    DOI: 10.1007/s00168-013-0555-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Zierahn, Ulrich, 2012. "Monocentric cities, endogenous agglomeration, and unemployment disparities," HWWI Research Papers 130, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).
    2. Eva Lajtkepová, 2020. "Distribution of Wages in the Regions of the Czech Republic," ACTA VSFS, University of Finance and Administration, vol. 14(2), pages 123-136.
    3. Kondo, Keisuke, 2015. "Spatial persistence of Japanese unemployment rates," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 113-122.
    4. Zierahn, Ulrich, 2011. "Regional unemployment and new economic geography," HWWI Research Papers 105, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).
    5. Xinmeng Li & Dao-Zhi Zeng, 2022. "Frictional unemployment, bargaining, and agglomeration," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 68(1), pages 151-179, February.
    6. Xi Yang, 2014. "Labor market frictions, agglomeration, and regional unemployment disparities," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 52(2), pages 489-512, March.
    7. José M. Gaspar, 2018. "A prospective review on New Economic Geography," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 61(2), pages 237-272, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    F15; R12; R23;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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