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Cautious Hiring

Author

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  • Enoch Hill

    (Wheaton College)

  • Kai Ding

    (University of Minnesota)

Abstract

There have been significant changes in the cyclicality of US labor productivity since the early 1990s. Previously, labor productivity was largely procyclical but beginning with the recession of the early 1990s labor productivity rises immediately following a recession before returning to prerecession levels. In this paper we develop a dynamic general equilibrium model in which a change in the importance of firm specificc human capital can explain the new pattern in labor productivity as well as partially account for the decrease in the rate of employment recovery (jobless recoveries) observed in the most recent three recessions. Additionally, we present empirical support that the importance of rm specificc human capital has in fact increased for recent recessions.

Suggested Citation

  • Enoch Hill & Kai Ding, 2016. "Cautious Hiring," 2016 Meeting Papers 291, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    • Handle: RePEc:red:sed016:291
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mitra, Aruni, 2024. "The productivity puzzle and the decline of unions," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).

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