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Precautionary Demand For Labour And Firm Size

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  • Noritaka Kudoh
  • Masaru Sasaki

Abstract

This paper studies firms' job creation decisions in a labour market with search frictions. A simple labour market search model is developed in which a firm can search for a second employee while producing with a first worker, and this creates the equilibrium size distribution of firms. A firm expands employment even if the instantaneous payoff to a large firm is less than that of staying small – a firm has a precautionary motive to expand its size. In addition, this motive is enhanced by a greater market tightness. Because of this effect, firms’ decisions become interdependent – a firm creates a vacancy if it expects other firms to do the same, creating strategic complementarity among firms and thereby self‐fulfilling multiple equilibria. An increase in productivity can cause a qualitative change in labour market tightness and the rate of unemployment.

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  • Noritaka Kudoh & Masaru Sasaki, 2010. "Precautionary Demand For Labour And Firm Size," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 133-153, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:buecrs:v:62:y:2010:i:2:p:133-153
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8586.2009.00314.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Noritaka Kudoh & Hiroaki Miyamoto & Masaru Sasaki, 2019. "Employment and Hours over the Business Cycle in a Model with Search Frictions," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 31, pages 436-461, January.

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