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Efficiency wages, unemployment and welfare: A trade theorists' guide

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  • Albert, Max
  • Meckl, Jürgen

Abstract

The paper incorporates the efficiency-wage theory into an otherwise standard trade model. The model accounts for sector-specific job rents and involuntary unemployment while preserving decisive properties of the competitive fullemployment approach. The key results from the literature can be derived from special cases; e.g., raising minimum wages can reduce unemployment. Additionally, we derive new, counterintuitive results: (a) Emigration can raise home employment, (b) Immigrants might not only find employment but also raise employment for non-immigrants, (c) Investment can reduce employment, (d) Raising unemployment benefits can reduce unemployment.

Suggested Citation

  • Albert, Max & Meckl, Jürgen, 1997. "Efficiency wages, unemployment and welfare: A trade theorists' guide," Discussion Papers, Series II 348, University of Konstanz, Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) 178 "Internationalization of the Economy".
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:kondp2:348
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Albert Max & Meckl JuÈrgen, 2001. "Efficiency-Wage Unemployment and Intersectoral Wage Differentials in a Heckscher- Ohlin Model," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 2(3), pages 287-301, August.
    2. Goerke, Laszlo, 2000. "On the structure of unemployment benefits in shirking models," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 283-295, May.
    3. Max Albert & Jürgen Meckl, 2003. "Involuntary Unemployment and the Existence of GDP Functions," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 79-88, February.
    4. Max Albert & Jürgen Meckl, 2001. "Green Tax Reform and Two-Component Unemployment: Double Dividend or Double Loss?," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 157(2), pages 265-281, June.
    5. Goerke, Laszlo, 1998. "Bismarck versus Beveridge: Flat- and earnings-related unemployment insurance in an efficiency wage framework," Discussion Papers, Series I 291, University of Konstanz, Department of Economics.

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