Employment Changes, the Structure of Adjustment Costs, and Plant Size

Oivind Anti Nilsen (), Kjell G Salvanes () and Fabio Schiantarelli ()

No 586, Boston College Working Papers in Economics from Boston College Department of Economics

Abstract: In this paper we analyze the pattern of employment adjustment using a rich panel of Norwegian plants. The data suggest that the frequency of episodes of zero net employment changes is inversely related to plant size. We develop and estimate a simple "q" model of labor demand, allowing for the presence of fixed, linear and convex components in adjustment costs. The econometric evidence supports the existence of purely fixed components, unrelated to plant size. As a result, the range of inaction is wider for smaller plants. The quadratic components of costs are also important. Finally, in most specifications both fixed and convex costs are higher for employment contractions.

Keywords: adjustment costs; employment demand; size. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D21 C23 E24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mfd
Date: 2003-10-29
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Related works:
Working Paper: Employment Changes, the Structure of Adjustment Costs, and Plant Size (2003)
Journal Article: Employment changes, the structure of adjustment costs, and plant size (2007)
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