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Institutional Rigidities and Employment Rigidity on the Italian Labour Market

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  • Rebeca Jiménez-Rodríguez
  • Giuseppe Russo

Abstract

A well-established result in the theoretical literature on labour market flexibility is that the employment should be more volatile in “flexible” labour markets. Over the last 35 years, Italy gives a good example of a transition from an over-regulated labour market into a quite more flexible one. According to the theory, the deregulation is expected to increase the employment variance. Despite the anecdotal evidence reported in the press, the literature hardly finds any evidence for such an effect. This paper exploits time-series of several employment indicators since 1980, allowing us to compare decades with different labour market regulation. All the considered series show evidence of a structural break with an increase in their variance after the deregulation, confirming the expected pattern. This gives some support to the concerns for increased job insecurity.

Suggested Citation

  • Rebeca Jiménez-Rodríguez & Giuseppe Russo, 2008. "Institutional Rigidities and Employment Rigidity on the Italian Labour Market," Applied Economics Quarterly (formerly: Konjunkturpolitik), Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 54(3), pages 217-227.
    • Handle: RePEc:aeq:aeqaeq:v54_y2008_i3_q3_p217-227
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bertola, Giuseppe, 1990. "Job security, employment and wages," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 851-879, June.
    2. Jushan Bai & Pierre Perron, 1998. "Estimating and Testing Linear Models with Multiple Structural Changes," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 66(1), pages 47-78, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Roberto Basile & Alessandro Girardi & Marianna Mantuano & Giuseppe Russo, 2016. "Interregional Migration, Human Capital Externalities and Unemployment Dynamics: Evidence from Italian Provinces," CSEF Working Papers 460, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    2. Andreea Claudia ȘERBAN & Mirela Ionela ACELEANU, 2015. "Minimum wage – labour market rigidity factor," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(2(603), S), pages 171-182, Summer.
    3. Kazanas, Thanassis & Miaouli, Natasha, 2014. "Wage-setting and capital in unionized markets: Evidence from South Europe," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 368-376.
    4. Dario Sciulli, 2013. "On-the-job-training contracts in Italy: Training or flexibility device?," Cuadernos de Economía - Spanish Journal of Economics and Finance, Asociación Cuadernos de Economía, vol. 36(102), pages 179-194, Diciembre.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labour market flexibility; volatility; breaks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand

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