Unemployment and the Structure of Labor Markets

In this book, 16 leading economists establish the connection between the forces of the labour market and the persistent but ever-changing problem of unemployment. These scholars examine structural unemployment in terms of efficiency wage and dual labour market models, as well as neo-classical theory. The effects of the decline of the manufacturing sector, the rise in services, and the upheaval in the oil industry on our understanding of cyclical and frictional unemployment are incorporated into the analysis. An examination of the relationship between structural shifts and unemployment considers the frequency and duration of unemployment of displaced workers, the effects of migration caused by structural shifts, and the phenomenon of unemployment within particular industries. Finally, the book presents intriguing thoughts on the conduct of labour research and experimental policy analysis. The contributors include: David M. Lilien, Alan B. Krueger, Lawrence H. Summers, William T. Dickens, Lawrence F. Katz, Kevin M. Murphy, Robert H. Topel, Mark Dynarski, Steven M. Sheffrin, Danny Steinberg, Frank A. Monforte, James W. Albrecht, John Haltiwanger and Mark Plant.