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Employment protection and the market for innovations

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  • Bastgen, A.
  • Holzner, C.L.

Abstract

We study the effects of employment protection taking into account that firms can – as a second best response – invest in R&D or buy new technologies in order to restore their productivity. To do so we develop an equilibrium matching model with an imperfect labor and innovation market. If employment protection is introduced, firms’ willingness to pay for product or process innovations increases. This shifts economic activity towards firms specializing in process and product innovation and triggers entry of new start-ups. We calibrate our model to match aggregate US labor and product market statistics and show that our model generates the negative impact of wrongful dismissal laws in the US on productivity and the positive effect on the number of innovations and firms found by the literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Bastgen, A. & Holzner, C.L., 2017. "Employment protection and the market for innovations," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 77-93.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:46:y:2017:i:c:p:77-93
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2017.03.003
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    4. Makoto Masui, 2020. "The determinants of employers’ use of temporary contracts in the frictional labor market," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(4), pages 803-834, November.
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    9. Braunerhjelm, Pontus & Ding, Ding & Thulin, Per, 2020. "Labour market mobility, knowledge diffusion and innovation," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Employment protection; Firing costs; Innovations; Patents; Productivity; Market imperfections;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J65 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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