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What Does Downward Nominal-Wage Rigidity Imply for Monetary Policy?

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  • Seamus Hogan

Abstract

A recent paper has suggested there might be a trade-off between inflation and unemployment at low inflation rates and this has led some economists to recommend that Canada increase its inflation rate. Underlying this view is the idea that, because firms are reluctant to cut workers' nominal wages, a moderate amount of inflation can be used to facilitate needed reductions in real wages. This paper discusses the link from downward nominal-wage rigidity to unemployment and considers some of the issues that need to be addressed to determine whether a change in Canada's monetary policy is warranted.

Suggested Citation

  • Seamus Hogan, 1997. "What Does Downward Nominal-Wage Rigidity Imply for Monetary Policy?," Staff Working Papers 97-13, Bank of Canada.
    • Handle: RePEc:bca:bocawp:97-13
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    Cited by:

    1. Özer Karagedikli & Kirdan Lees, 2004. "Do inflation targeting central banks behave asymmetrically? Evidence from Australia and New Zealand," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Discussion Paper Series DP 2004/02, Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
    2. Steinar Holden, 2005. "Wage Formation under Low Inflation," Springer Books, in: Hannu Piekkola & Kenneth Snellman (ed.), Collective Bargaining and Wage Formation, pages 39-57, Springer.
    3. David E. Lebow & Raven E. Saks & Beth Anne Wilson, 1999. "Downward nominal wage rigidity: evidence from the employment cost index," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 1999-31, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    4. David Longworth & Brian O´Reilly, 2002. "The Monetary Policy Transmission Mechanism and Policy Rules in Canada," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Norman Loayza & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Series (ed.),Monetary Policy: Rules and Transmission Mechanisms, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 13, pages 357-392, Central Bank of Chile.
    5. Jean Farès & Seamus Hogan, 2000. "The Employment Costs of Downward Nominal-Wage Rigidity," Staff Working Papers 00-1, Bank of Canada.
    6. David Laidler & William B.P. Robson, 2004. "Two Percent Target: The Context, Theory, and Practice of Canadian Monetary Policy since 1991," C.D. Howe Institute Policy Studies, C.D. Howe Institute, number 20041, January.
    7. Brian O'Reilly, 1998. "The Benefits of Low Inflation: Taking Shock "A nickel ain't worth a dime any more" [Yogi Berra]," Technical Reports 83, Bank of Canada.
    8. Allan Crawford & Seamus Hogan, 1999. "Downward wage rigidity," Bank of Canada Review, Bank of Canada, vol. 1998(Winter), pages 29-48.
    9. Allan Crawford, 2001. "How Rigid Are Nominal-Wage Rates?," Staff Working Papers 01-8, Bank of Canada.
    10. Bläs, Barno, 2006. "Ausmaß und reale Konsequenzen nach unter starrer Nominallöhne. Eine Untersuchung für den deutschen Arbeitsmarkt," University of Regensburg Working Papers in Business, Economics and Management Information Systems 416, University of Regensburg, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inflation targets; Monetary policy framework; Transmission of monetary policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • E50 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - General

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