The Federal Reserve Board eagle logo links to Board's home page

International Finance Discussion Papers
The International Finance Discussion Papers logo links to the International Finance Discussion Papers home page Trade Reforms, Foreign Competition, and Labor Market Adjustments in the U.S.
Illenin O. Kondo
2013-1095  (December 2013)

Abstract:  Using data on trade-induced displacements, this paper documents that locations facing more foreign competition in the U.S. have: higher job destruction rates, lower job creation rates, and thereby lower employment rates. In contrast to standard trade theory, a model with variable markups and heterogeneous segmented labor markets is consistent with these facts. Foreign competition has a correlated effect on job destruction and job creation precisely because the most vulnerable locations also have lower productivity. Following an unexpected trade liberalization with limited mobility, employment sharply falls in the worse hit locations while welfare and employment increase in the aggregate.

Full paper (867 KB PDF) | Full paper (screen reader version)

Keywords
Foreign competition, nonemployment, job flows, spatial heterogeneity

PDF files: Adobe Acrobat Reader   ZIP files: PKWARE


Home | IFDPs | List of 2013 IFDPs
Accessibility | Contact Us
Last update: February 14, 2014