TY - JOUR
T1 - Labour force participation and the business cycle: a comparative analysis of France, Japan, Sweden and the United States
AU - Darby, J.
AU - Hart, R.A.
AU - Vecchi, M.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - This paper investigates the cyclical responsiveness of participation in the labour force. We examine systems of equations, disaggregated by age and gender, for France, Japan, Sweden and the US, using data from the OECD Labour Force Statistics, 1970-1995. We use measures of country specific business cycles following Harvey and Jaeger (1993) and test for asymmetric responses of participation to expansionary and contractionary phases of the cycle. Our results show that discouraged worker effects are prevalent. These effects are strongest in the downward phase of the cycle and are essentially a female phenomenon, with a particular concentration among 45-54 year olds.
AB - This paper investigates the cyclical responsiveness of participation in the labour force. We examine systems of equations, disaggregated by age and gender, for France, Japan, Sweden and the US, using data from the OECD Labour Force Statistics, 1970-1995. We use measures of country specific business cycles following Harvey and Jaeger (1993) and test for asymmetric responses of participation to expansionary and contractionary phases of the cycle. Our results show that discouraged worker effects are prevalent. These effects are strongest in the downward phase of the cycle and are essentially a female phenomenon, with a particular concentration among 45-54 year olds.
KW - business cycle
KW - employment
KW - economics
KW - world economy
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0922-1425(00)00049-9
U2 - 10.1016/S0922-1425(00)00049-9
DO - 10.1016/S0922-1425(00)00049-9
M3 - Article
VL - 13
SP - 113
EP - 133
JO - Japan and the World Economy
JF - Japan and the World Economy
SN - 0922-1425
IS - 2
ER -