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Unemployment and relative labor market institutions between trading partners

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  • Boulhol, Hervé

Abstract

This paper contributes to the literature that highlights the role of trading partners' institutions for a country's unemployment rate. The objective is to study whether the results established in the minimum wage-setting of Davis (1998) hold when unemployment is driven by search frictions. This paper finds that relative labor market institutions matter for equilibrium unemployment as they generate comparative advantages, but there are two main differences with Davis. With North-North trade, unemployment decreases in the low-regulation country. When South is brought into the picture, low-regulation North is not insulated, and unemployment increases in both developed countries as a result of specialization.

Suggested Citation

  • Boulhol, Hervé, 2011. "Unemployment and relative labor market institutions between trading partners," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(1), pages 83-91, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:inecon:v:83:y:2011:i:1:p:83-91
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    Cited by:

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    2. Koffi Kpognon & Henri Atangana Ondoa & Mamadou Bah & Marie Fanny Messe, 2020. "Ouverture commerciale, institutions du marché du travail et emploi des jeunes en Afrique," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 32(S1), pages 91-105, November.
    3. Le Riche, Antoine & Lloyd-Braga, Teresa & Modesto, Leonor, 2022. "Intra-industry trade, involuntary unemployment and macroeconomic stability," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    4. Wolf-Heimo Grieben & Fuat Sener, 2012. "North-South Trade, Unemployment and Growth: What’s the Role of Labor Unions?," Working Paper Series of the Department of Economics, University of Konstanz 2012-06, Department of Economics, University of Konstanz.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unemployment Labor Market Institutions Trade;

    JEL classification:

    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General
    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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