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Technology Shocks and the Labor-Input Response: Evidence from Firm-Level Data

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  • MIKAEL CARLSSON
  • JON SMEDSAAS

Abstract

We study the relationship between technology shocks and labor input on Swedish firm-level data using a production function approach to identify technology shocks. Taking standard steps yields a contractionary contemporaneous labor-input response in line with previous studies. This finding may, however, be driven by measurement errors in the labor-input variable. Relying on a unique feature of our data set, which contains two independently measured firm-specific labor input measures, we can evaluate the potential bias. We do not find that this bias conceals any true positive contemporaneous effect. The results thus point away from standard flexible-price models and toward models emphasizing firm-level rigidities. Copyright 2007 The Ohio State University.

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  • Mikael Carlsson & Jon Smedsaas, 2007. "Technology Shocks and the Labor-Input Response: Evidence from Firm-Level Data," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 39(6), pages 1509-1520, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:mcb:jmoncb:v:39:y:2007:i:6:p:1509-1520
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    Cited by:

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    2. Mikael Carlsson & Julián Messina & Oskar Nordström Skans, 2016. "Wage Adjustment and Productivity Shocks," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(595), pages 1739-1773, September.
    3. KWON Hyeog Ug & Jun-Hyung KO, 2013. "Do Technology Shocks Lower Hours Worked? Evidence from the Japan Industrial Productivity Database," Discussion papers 13018, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    4. Gottfries, Nils & Mickelsson, Glenn & Stadin, Karolina, 2018. "Deep Dynamics," Working Paper Series 2018:10, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
    5. Inyoung Park & Jieon Lee & Jungwoo Nam & Yuri Jo & Daeho Lee, 2022. "Which networking strategy improves ICT startup companies' technical efficiency?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(6), pages 2434-2443, September.
    6. Carlsson, Mikael & Messina, Julián & Nordström Skans, Oskar, 2014. "Firm-level shocks and labor adjustments," Working Paper Series 2014:28, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    7. Catherine Fuss & Ladislav Wintr, 2012. "Rigid Wages and Flexible Employment ?Contrasting Responses to Firm-Level and Sector-Level Productivity Developments," Brussels Economic Review, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles, vol. 55(3), pages 241-268.
    8. Stadin, Karolina, 2012. "Vacancy Matching and Labor Market Conditions," Working Paper Series 2012:16, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
    9. Francesco Furlanetto & Martin Seneca, 2012. "Rule‐of‐Thumb Consumers, Productivity, and Hours," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 114(2), pages 658-679, June.
    10. Nils Gottfries & Glenn Mickelsson & Karolina Stadin, 2021. "Deep Dynamics," CESifo Working Paper Series 8873, CESifo.
    11. Fuss, Catherine & Wintr, Ladislav, 2009. "Rigid labour compensation and flexible employment? Firm-level evidence with regard to productivity for Belgium," Working Paper Series 1021, European Central Bank.
    12. Kim Jung-Wook & Chun Hyunbae, 2011. "Technology Shocks and Employment: Evidence from U.S. Firm-Level Data," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-23, September.
    13. Beate Schirwitz, 2013. "Business Fluctuations, Job Flows and Trade Unions - Dynamics in the Economy," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 47.
    14. Mehmet Ugur & Sefa Awaworyi Churchill & Edna Solomon, 2018. "Technological Innovation And Employment In Derived Labour Demand Models: A Hierarchical Meta†Regression Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 50-82, February.
    15. Ko, Jun-Hyung & Kwon, Hyeog Ug, 2015. "Do technology shocks lower hours worked? – Evidence from Japanese industry level data," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 138-157.
    16. Stadin, Karolina, 2015. "Firms’ employment dynamics and the state of the labor market," Working Paper Series 2015:20, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

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