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Unemployment and business cycles

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  • Lawrence J. Christiano
  • Martin S. Eichenbaum
  • Mathias Trabandt

Abstract

We develop and estimate a general equilibrium model that accounts for key business cycle properties of macroeconomic aggregates, including labor market variables. In sharp contrast to leading New Keynesian models, wages are not subject to exogenous nominal rigidities. Instead we derive wage inertia from our specification of how firms and workers interact when negotiating wages. Our model outperforms the standard Diamond-Mortensen-Pissarides model both statistically and in terms of the plausibility of the estimated structural parameter values. Our model also outperforms an estimated sticky wage model.

Suggested Citation

  • Lawrence J. Christiano & Martin S. Eichenbaum & Mathias Trabandt, 2013. "Unemployment and business cycles," International Finance Discussion Papers 1089, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgif:1089
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    JEL classification:

    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • 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

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