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Downward Nominal Wage Rigidity Meets the Zero Lower Bound

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  • Robert Amano
  • Stefano Gnocchi

Abstract

We add downward nominal wage rigidity to a standard New Keynesian model with sticky prices and wages, where the zero lower bound on nominal interest rates is allowed to bind. We find that wage rigidity not only reduces the frequency of zero bound episodes but also mitigates the severity of corresponding recessions. As a result, previous studies abstracting from the presence of wage rigidity may have overemphasized the need for increasing the inflation target to offset the costs associated with hitting the zero bound. Moreover, our findings add to the recent debate on the presumed benefits of wage flexibility that has arisen in the aftermath of the Great Recession.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Amano & Stefano Gnocchi, 2017. "Downward Nominal Wage Rigidity Meets the Zero Lower Bound," Staff Working Papers 17-16, Bank of Canada.
    • Handle: RePEc:bca:bocawp:17-16
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hamano, Masashige & Zanetti, Francesco, 2022. "Monetary policy, firm heterogeneity, and product variety," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    2. Bernardino Adão, 2019. "Why is price stability a key goal of central banks?," Economic Bulletin and Financial Stability Report Articles and Banco de Portugal Economic Studies, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    3. Ou, Shengliang & Zhang, Donghai & Zhang, Renbin, 2021. "Information frictions, monetary policy, and the paradox of price flexibility," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 70-82.
    4. Andrew Binning & Junior Maih, 2017. "Modelling Occasionally Binding Constraints Using Regime-Switching," Working Paper 2017/23, Norges Bank.
    5. Cecion, Martina & Coenen, Günter & Gerke, Rafael & Le Bihan, Hervé & Motto, Roberto & Aguilar, Pablo & Ajevskis, Viktors & Giesen, Sebastian & Albertazzi, Ugo & Gilbert, Niels & Al-Haschimi, Alexander, 2021. "The ECB’s price stability framework: past experience, and current and future challenges," Occasional Paper Series 269, European Central Bank.
    6. Stefano Fasani, 2021. "On the Long-run Unemployment, Inflation, and Volatility," Working Papers 924, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    7. Jean-François Rouillard, 2017. "Credit Crunch and Downward Nominal Wage Rigidities," Cahiers de recherche 17-05, Departement d'économique de l'École de gestion à l'Université de Sherbrooke, revised Apr 2019.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inflation targets; Labour markets; Monetary policy framework;
    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
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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