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Wage, productivity and unemployment: microeconomics theory and macroeconomics data

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Abstract

We confront microeconomics theory with macroeconomics data. Unemployment results from two main micro-level decisions of workers and firms. Most of the efficiency wage and bargaining theories predict that over the business cycle, unemployment falls below its natural rate when the worker's real wage exceeds the reservation wage. However, these theories have weak empirical support. Firm's decision predicts that when the worker's real wage exceeds the marginal product of labour (MPL), unemployment increases above its natural rate. Accounting for this microeconomic decision helps explain almost all the fluctuations of US unemployment.

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  • Razzak, 2015. "Wage, productivity and unemployment: microeconomics theory and macroeconomics data," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(58), pages 6284-6300, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:47:y:2015:i:58:p:6284-6300
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2015.1068926
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    1. Ramskogler, Paul, 2021. "Labour market hierarchies and the macro-economy – Do labour market dualities affect wage growth in Europe?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 154-165.
    2. Huajie Jiang & Qiguo Gong, 2022. "Does Skill Polarization Affect Wage Polarization? U.S. Evidence 2009–2021," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-17, October.
    3. Tomás Gómez Rodríguez & Humberto Ríos Bolívar & Ali Aali Bujari, 2018. "Salario eficiente y crecimiento económico para el caso de América Latina. (Efficient wages and Economic Growth in Latin America)," Ensayos Revista de Economia, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Facultad de Economia, vol. 0(2), pages 213-235, October.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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