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Skill Flows: A Theory of Human Capital and Unemployment

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  • Ross Doppelt

    (Pennsylvania State University)

Abstract

I present a theoretical macroeconomic model that investigates the link between long-run growth and labor-market dynamics. Workers accumulate human capital on the job, while suffering human capital depreciation during unemployment. On the aggregate level, high unemployment hinders skill formation, creating a drag on growth. The model features endogenous growth, stochastic regime shifts, and a time-varying distribution of wages. Nevertheless, much of the model's value comes from the fact that it admits a sharp analytical characterization of the forces at work. I solve for a competitive equilibrium and derive conditions under which it will be efficient. (Copyright: Elsevier)

Suggested Citation

  • Ross Doppelt, 2019. "Skill Flows: A Theory of Human Capital and Unemployment," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 31, pages 84-122, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:red:issued:17-219
    DOI: 10.1016/j.red.2018.12.004
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    Cited by:

    1. Angelopoulos, Konstantinos & Jiang, Wei & Malley, James, 2015. "Fiscal multipliers in a two-sector search and matching model," SIRE Discussion Papers 2015-67, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    2. Benjamin Fomba Kamga & Dieu Ne Dort Talla Fokam & Paul Ningaye, 2022. "Political instability and youths unemployment in sub‐Saharan Africa," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 1850-1879, August.
    3. Jackson, Paul & Ortego-Marti, Victor, 2024. "Skill loss during unemployment and the scarring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    4. Vijaya Kumar M. & Balu B., 2024. "Estimating the Impact of Human Capital Underutilization on the Productivity and Economic Growth in India," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 5018-5042, March.
    5. Konstantinos Angelopoulos & Wei Jiang & James Malley, 2017. "Targeted fiscal policy to increase employment and wages of unskilled workers," Studies in Economics 1704, School of Economics, University of Kent.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Search theory; Endogenous growth; Unemployment; Human capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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