The Role of Labor Market Rigidities During the Transition: Lessons From Poland

July 1, 1996

Preview Citation

Format: Chicago

Thierry Pujol. The Role of Labor Market Rigidities During the Transition: Lessons From Poland, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 1996) accessed September 20, 2024

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

The transition to a market economy has been analyzed primarily from a stabilization prospective. To complement that approach, we focus on a pure relative price shock and subsequent price adjustments. A model of monopolistic competition with costly labor adjustment indicates that relative price shocks can induce overall output decline because rigid sectoral real wages do not adjust to offset sectoral price changes, and firms that benefit from the price shock engage in monopolistic behavior. In Poland, empirical evidence suggests that relative wage rigidity contributed to lower employment and output, but there is no strong evidence that competition was important.

Subject: Employment, Labor, Real wages, Wage adjustments, Wages

Keywords: Credit crunch, Eastern Europe, Employment, Labor force, Real wages, Rigidity in Poland, Total factor productivity, Wage adjustments, Wage bargaining, Wage control, Wage cost, Wage cut, Wage differentiation, Wage dispersion, Wage growth, Wage inequality, Wages, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

30
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 1996/077
Stock No:

WPIEA0771996
ISBN:

9781451849967
ISSN:

1018-5941

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