IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/streco/v50y2019icp216-226.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Structural economic dynamics, markups, real Wicksell effects, and the reverse substitution of labor

Author

Listed:
  • Vienneau, Robert L.

Abstract

This article presents an example in which perturbations in relative markups and technical progress result in variations in characteristics of the labor market. Around a switch point with a positive real Wicksell effect, a higher wage is associated with firms wanting to employ more labor per unit output of net product. Around a switch point with a reverse substitution of labor, firms in a particular industry want to hire more labor per unit output of gross product. Technical progress and variations in markups can bring about and take away circumstances favorable for workers wanting to press claims for higher wages. This article presents specific fluke switch points in which variations in technology and markups change these circumstances, as well as novel diagrams for visualizing the effects of such variations.

Suggested Citation

  • Vienneau, Robert L., 2019. "Structural economic dynamics, markups, real Wicksell effects, and the reverse substitution of labor," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 216-226.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:streco:v:50:y:2019:i:c:p:216-226
    DOI: 10.1016/j.strueco.2019.07.008
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0954349X18304053
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.strueco.2019.07.008?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Avi J. Cohen, 2003. "Retrospectives: Whatever Happened to the Cambridge Capital Theory Controversies?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 199-214, Winter.
    2. Vienneau, Robert L., 2018. "Normal Forms for Switch Point Patterns," Review of Behavioral Economics, now publishers, vol. 5(2), pages 169-195, September.
    3. Zonghie Han & Bertram Schefold, 2006. "An empirical investigation of paradoxes: reswitching and reverse capital deepening in capital theory," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 30(5), pages 737-765, September.
    4. Robert L. Vienneau, 2005. "On Labour Demand And Equilibria Of The Firm," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 73(5), pages 612-619, September.
    5. Zambelli, Stefano & Fredholm, Thomas & Venkatachalam, Ragupathy, 2017. "Robust measurement of national technological progress," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 38-55.
    6. repec:bla:kyklos:v:33:y:1980:i:2:p:219-29 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Stefano Zambelli, 2018. "The aggregate production function is NOT neoclassical [Econometric tools for analyzing market outcomes]," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 42(2), pages 383-426.
    8. Kurz,Heinz D. & Salvadori,Neri, 1997. "Theory of Production," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521588676, September.
    9. Paul A. Samuelson, 1966. "A Summing Up," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 80(4), pages 568-583.
    10. Christopher A. Pissarides, 2011. "Equilibrium in the Labor Market with Search Frictions," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(4), pages 1092-1105, June.
    11. Burmeister,Edwin, 1980. "Capital Theory and Dynamics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521297035, October.
    12. P. Garegnani, 1970. "Heterogeneous Capital, the Production Function and the Theory of Distribution," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 37(3), pages 407-436.
    13. Pasinetti,Luigi, 1993. "Structural Economic Dynamics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521432825, October.
    14. Stefano Zambelli, 2018. "Production of commodities by means of commodities and non‐uniform rates of profits," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(4), pages 791-819, November.
    15. Joan Robinson, 1975. "The Unimportance of Reswitching," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 89(1), pages 32-39.
    16. Opocher,Arrigo & Steedman,Ian, 2015. "Full Industry Equilibrium," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107097797, October.
    17. Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2002. "Information and the Change in the Paradigm in Economics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(3), pages 460-501, June.
    18. Paul A. Samuelson, 1975. "Steady-State and Transient Relations: A Reply on Reswitching," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 89(1), pages 40-47.
    19. Samuel Bowles & Herbert Gintis, 1993. "The Revenge of Homo Economicus: Contested Exchange and the Revival of Political Economy," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 7(1), pages 83-102, Winter.
    20. Joan Robinson, 1980. "Time In Economic Theory," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 219-229, May.
    21. Brancaccio, Emiliano & Garbellini, Nadia & Giammetti, Raffaele, 2018. "Structural labour market reforms, GDP growth and the functional distribution of income," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 34-45.
    22. D. G. Champernowne, 1953. "The Production Function and the Theory of Capital: A Comment," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 21(2), pages 112-135.
    23. Syed Ahmad, 1991. "Capital in Economic Theory," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 5.
    24. Arindrajit Dube & T. William Lester & Michael Reich, 2010. "Minimum Wage Effects Across State Borders: Estimates Using Contiguous Counties," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 92(4), pages 945-964, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Vienneau, Robert L., 2024. "Visualizing Variations in the Analysis of the Choice of Technique," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP66, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa".
    2. Vienneau, Robert L., 2021. "Fluke Switch Points in Pure Fixed Capital Systems," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP48, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa".

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. J. Barkley Rosser, 2020. "Austrian themes and the Cambridge capital theory controversies," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 33(4), pages 415-431, December.
    2. Vienneau, Robert L., 2021. "Fluke Switch Points in Pure Fixed Capital Systems," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP48, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa".
    3. Carlo Milana, 2019. "Solving the Reswitching Paradox in the Sraffian Theory of Capital," Applied Economics and Finance, Redfame publishing, vol. 6(6), pages 97-125, November.
    4. Avi J. Cohen, 2003. "Retrospectives: Whatever Happened to the Cambridge Capital Theory Controversies?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 199-214, Winter.
    5. Jonathan F. Cogliano & Roberto Veneziani & Naoki Yoshihara, 2022. "Computational methods and classical‐Marxian economics," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 310-349, April.
    6. Stefano Zambelli, 2018. "Production of commodities by means of commodities and non‐uniform rates of profits," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(4), pages 791-819, November.
    7. G. C. Harcourt, 2015. "On the Cambridge, England, Critique of the Marginal Productivity Theory of Distribution," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 47(2), pages 243-255, June.
    8. Harvey Gram, 2003. "Joan Robinson: classical revivalist or neoclassical critic?," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(4), pages 493-508.
    9. Robert L. Vienneau, 2017. "The Choice of Technique with Multiple and Complex Interest Rates," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(3), pages 440-453, July.
    10. Kersting, Götz & Schefold, Bertram, 2021. "Best techniques leave little room for substitution. A new critique of the production function," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 509-533.
    11. Carlo Milana, 2024. "Refuting Samuelson’s capitulation on the re-switching of techniques in the Cambridge capital controversy," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 37(2), pages 179-197, June.
    12. Kurose, Kazuhiro & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2016. "The Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson Model and the Cambridge Capital Controversies," UMASS Amherst Economics Working Papers 2016-05, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Economics.
    13. Carlo Milana, 2024. "Refuting Samuelson’s capitulation on the re-switching of techniques in the Cambridge capital controversy," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 37(2), pages 179-197, June.
    14. Thijs ten Raa, 2022. "Reswitching and capital models," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 11(1), pages 1-5, December.
    15. Tsoulfidis, Lefteris, 2021. "Capital Theory Debates: New Developments and Direction," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP51, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa".
    16. Schefold, Bertram, 2022. "What Remains of the Cambridge Critique? Potential Conclusions and Directions for Further Research Following from Recent Investigations in Capital Theory," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP53, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa".
    17. Perino, Grischa & Requate, Till, 2012. "Does more stringent environmental regulation induce or reduce technology adoption? When the rate of technology adoption is inverted U-shaped," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 456-467.
    18. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/942 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Luigi L. Pasinetti, 2000. "Critique of the neoclassical theory of growth and distribution," Banca Nazionale del Lavoro Quarterly Review, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, vol. 53(215), pages 383-431.
    20. Luigi L. Pasinetti, 2000. "Critique of the neoclassical theory of growth and distribution," BNL Quarterly Review, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, vol. 53(215), pages 383-431.
    21. Saverio M. Fratini, 2010. "Reswitching And Decreasing Demand For Capital," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(4), pages 676-682, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cambridge capital controversy; Labor market; Markup pricing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B51 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Socialist; Marxian; Sraffian
    • D33 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Factor Income Distribution
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:streco:v:50:y:2019:i:c:p:216-226. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/525148 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.