The one constant: a causal effect of collective bargaining on employment growth? Evidence from German linked‐employer‐employee data

A large number of articles have analysed ‘the one constant’ in the economic effects of trade unions, namely that collective bargaining reduces employment growth by 2–4% points per year. Evidence is, however, mostly related to Anglo‐Saxon countries. We investigate whether a different institutional setting might lead to a different outcome, making the constant a variable entity. Using linked‐employer‐employee data for Germany, we find a negative correlation between being covered by a sector‐wide bargaining agreement or firm‐level contract and employment growth of about 1% point per annum. However, the correlation between employment growth and collective bargaining is not robust to the use of panel methods. We conclude that the results of the literature using cross‐section data might be driven by selection.     

Semi-endogenous versus Schumpeterian growth models: testing the knowledge production function using international data

Using various indicators of innovative activity and product variety in the OECD countries over the past century, this paper tests first- and second-generation models of economic growth. The estimation results give evidence in favour of Schumpeterian models, while the semi-endogenous growth theories are shown not to be consistent with the data.      

Proof of global stability,transitional dynamics,and international capital flows in a two-country model of innovation and growth

Global stability properties of dynamic two-country models can be easily studied in the case of perfect international capital flows. With internationally constant relative productivities, balanced-growth path values for factor prices will hold on any path leading to the balanced-growth path unless one country experiences a period of no innovation. Innovation rates converge in the case of perfect international knowledge spillovers but long-run consumption levels and trade patterns are path-dependent. GDP per capita is predicted to converge slowly despite the presence of perfect international capital markets and no explicit inclusion of adjustment costs. The trade balance of the rich country is initially positive but after some time turns into a deficit.     

Schumpeterian endogenous growth theory and evolutionary economics

In this paper, we aim to discuss whether Schumpeterian models of endogenous growth can accommodate Schumpeters vision of development through creative destruction. Taking a methodological approach, our focus is on individual decision-making, technology, general equilibrium and welfare, and steady state dynamics as the fundamental principles underlying endogenous growth theory. In particular, the Aghion-Howitt model of Schumpeterian growth in various extended versions is analyzed in the light of Schumpeters work. Therefore, we also try to root Schumpeters work in historical context. We find endogenous growth theory far from carrying Schumpeters idea of an evolutionary approach to change and development. Rather the emergence of numerous models of an evolutionary type can be observed to provide for the formal structure appropriate to keeping Schumpeters legacy alive.JEL Classification: B1, B2, B4, O3, O4Corespondence to: Thomas Kuhn     

Job creation and temporary emigration: the Albanian experience1

This paper focuses on job flows and unemployment in Albania during the transition from a closed, communist system to an open, free-market economy, and examines the role of emigration in the restructuring of the country. Our theoretical model indicates that in Albania, temporary emigration may have a significant positive effect on hiring in the private sector, reducing unemployment. Using sectoral data on employment, we illustrate the importance of emigration as an alternative for the Albanian labour force, and we measure the extent to which job ‘destruction’ in some sectors of the economy has been compensated for by job ‘creation’ in others. On these grounds, we compare the progress of Albania with other former socialist countries in Europe.     

Spatial Discrimination,Nations’ Size and Transportation Costs

In this paper we develop a spatial Cournot trade model with two unequally sized countries, using the geographical interpretation of the Hotelling line. We analyse the trade and welfare effects of international trade between these two countries. The welfare analysis indicates that in this framework the large country benefits from free trade and the small country may be hurt by opening to trade. This finding is contrary to the results of Shachmurove & Spiegel (1995) as well as Tharakan & Thisse (2002), who use similar models to analyze size effects in international trade, where the small country usually gains from trade and the large country may lose.     

熊彼特的竞争理论及其启示

熊彼特的竞争理论表明,短期限制竞争可以激励和保护创新,而完全竞争并不适合创新。熊彼特理论没有颠覆传统的反垄断范式,但调整了它的重心和内部结构,使得反垄断关注的重点从静态转向动态、从相关市场转向创新活动、从市场份额和集中度转向进入壁垒。     

基于月度数据的FDI与安徽外贸发展关系实证研究

本文运用计量模型从外贸竞争力、贸易流量和贸易方式等三个方面考察了2003年1月到2009年6月间安徽省吸引外商直接投资与安徽外贸发展变化间的相互关系。结果表明,在样本区间内,FD I对安徽外贸竞争力变化的解释能力有限,而对机电产品出口贸易和加工贸易影响最大。短期外资变动反映在加工贸易出口和高新技术产品出口的变化上最为迅速,FD I与加工贸易出口互为格兰杰因果关系。     

Job Creation and Job Destruction in a Regulated Labor Market: The Case of Austria

We study Austrian job reallocation in the period of 1978 to 1998, using a large administrative dataset where we correct for spurious entries and exits of firms. We find that on average 9 out of 100 randomly selected jobs were created within the last year, and that about 9 out of randomly selected 100 jobs were destroyed within the next year. Hence, the magnitude of Austrian job flows seems to be comparable to other countries, similar to the well-known results of Davis et al. (1996) for the United States. Job reallocation appears to be driven primarily by idiosyncratic shocks. However, job creation increases significantly during cyclical upswings whereas job destruction rises in downturns. We also find substantial persistence of job creation and destruction. The pronounced pattern of job reallocation rates falling with firm size and age continues to hold when we use a set of controls. Finally, we show that – controlling for sector and firm size composition – Austrian job reallocation rates are only half the rates for the U.S. This result is not surprising given the impact of tighter regulation and labor law in Austria.     

产业内贸易与经济增长:基于人力资本的分析框架

贸易的知识扩散效应和贸易竞争的资源配置效应是长期内产业内贸易影响增长的最根本的两个方面。本文将包含贸易知识扩散程度参数的人力资本积累函数引入Bucci提出的经济增长模型,把模型拓展到开放经济环境,在动态贸易均衡中考察这两种效应。研究发现：贸易的知识扩散效应促进人力资本积累,有利于经济增长;贸易竞争效应使人力资本更多地配置到低效率的非竞争性部门,不利于经济增长。因此,产业内贸易对经济增长的影响取决于知识扩散效应和贸易竞争效应的影响程度的相对大小比较结果。     

内地与香港双边贸易流量与潜力研究——基于贸易引力模型的实证分析

内地各省市（自治区）的GDP和人均GDP、香港人均GDP、绝对距离以及泛珠三角区域合作组织等解释变量,是影响双边贸易流量的主要因素;各因素的影响程度互有不同,内地各省市（自治区）对香港的出口贸易潜力也存在一定差异。因此,内地与香港应采取针对性的措施,进一步加强经贸交流和合作,充分发挥各自的区位优势和竞争优势,实现两地经济的共同繁荣。     

Commercial policy and international factor mobility in the presence of monopolistic competition

This paper utilizes a well-known specification of returns to specialization (a variation of the Spence-Dixit-Stiglitz model) to explore the implications of local agglomeration effects for commercial policy and restricted factor mobility. The paper initially considers a small open economy where it is shown that a tariff reduces the degree of specialization and hence the size of the external economies to the producers. An inflow of labor increases the degree of specialization while a capital inflow decreases it. The paper then considers a two-country world where both countries are large and deals with the pattern of trade and factor mobility.     

JOB REALLOCATION, EMPLOYMENT CHANGE AND AVERAGE JOB TENURE: THEORY AND WORKPLACE EVIDENCE FROM AUSTRALIA

We explore determinants of job reallocation, employment change and average job tenure in this paper. A model which associates technological advances with the process of economic growth is modified and analysed. The features of this model allow for the possibility of asymmetric behaviour when looking at the net change in employment. Workplace data from Australia (AWIRS95) are used to test the predictions generated from the model for both employment change and average job tenure. Results are presented that provide clear evidence as to the nature of workplaces in which net employment growth is concentrated. We find that employment growth is asymmetrically related to expected changes in demand for the output of the workplace. We also find that employment is lower for workplaces that are larger, older, have greater union density, offer higher relative earnings, or are operating in a more competitive environment. The impacts on average tenure are as expected from the model and from these changes in employment. Overall there is a substantial degree of agreement between the predictions of the model and our empirical results.     

Metrics capturing the degree to which individual economies are globalized

We discuss metrics of globalization for individual economies as distance measures between fully integrated and trade restricted equilibria in economies initially operating under less than full integration with the global economy. Such metrics can be used to construct country globalization metrics reflecting the distance of economies from full global integration due to trade barriers, barriers to factor flows, barriers to international financial intermediation, solved technological diffusion and other economy-specific features yielding less than full integration into the global economy. Many distance metrics present themselves and none are wholly satisfactory since they each behave differently across various displacements from integration. Distance measures can, for instance, be small in goods space but large in price space. We present alternative measures constructed for eight OECD economies and comment in a concluding section on other measures used elsewhere in the literature such as trade/GDP ratios.