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Macroeconomic estimates of Italy's mark-ups in the long-run, 1861-2012

Author

Listed:
  • Claire Giordano

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Francesco Zollino

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

We explore three alternative methodologies drawn from economic history literature to compute macroeconomic total-economy estimates of Italy's mark-ups since 1861, based on the new historical national accounts presented in Baffigi (2013) and Giordano and Zollino (2015). Two key features of Italy's history stand out: a) the increase in market power under the Fascist regime and b) the strengthening of competition since 1993. We then focus on a more limited time span (1970-2012) in order to estimate sectorial mark-ups using the model developed in Bassanetti, Torrini and Zollino (2010). Employing Istat and EU-KLEMs data, we find evidence of a reduction in mark-ups after the completion of the Single Market, with an acceleration after the inception of the European Monetary Union, owing mostly to the decrease in workers' bargaining power rather than in firms' margins. Moreover, we find large heterogeneity in mark-ups across sectors, with regulated services displaying weaker competition than manufacturing and market services.

Suggested Citation

  • Claire Giordano & Francesco Zollino, 2017. "Macroeconomic estimates of Italy's mark-ups in the long-run, 1861-2012," Quaderni di storia economica (Economic History Working Papers) 39, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:workqs:qse_39
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    11. Giordano, Claire & Piga, Gustavo & Trovato, Giovanni, 2014. "Italy'S Industrial Great Depression: Fascist Price And Wage Policies," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(3), pages 689-720, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alessandro Mistretta & Francesco Zollino, 2021. "Recent Trends in Economic Activity and TFP in Italy with a Focus on Embodied Technical Progress," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 7(1), pages 79-107, March.
    2. Gamberoni, Elisa & Giordano, Claire & Lopez-Garcia, Paloma, 2016. "Capital and labour (mis)allocation in the euro area: some stylized facts and determinants," Working Paper Series 1981, European Central Bank.
    3. Fenoaltea, Stefano, 2017. "The Growth of the Italian Economy, 1861-1913: Revised Second-Generation Production-Side Estimates," MPRA Paper 83508, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Roberto Torrini, 2015. "Labour, Profit and Housing Rent Shares in Italian GDP: Long-Run Trends and Recent Patterns," Politica economica, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 3, pages 275-314.
    5. Ana Cristina Soares, 2020. "Price-cost margin and bargaining power in the European Union," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(5), pages 2093-2123, November.
    6. Claire Giordano & Francesco Zollino, 2015. "A Historical Reconstruction of Capital and Labour in Italy, 1861-2013," Rivista di storia economica, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 2, pages 155-224.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mark-ups; completion policy; wage bargaining; growth accounting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E01 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth; Environmental Accounts
    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General
    • L50 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - General

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