In this Paper, I analyse the pros and cons of implementing structural reforms of the labour market in booms versus recessions, in light of considerations of social efficiency, political viability, and macroeconomic fine-tuning. While the optimal timing of a reform depends on the relative...

We study the influence of social networks on labour market transitions. We develop the first model where social ties and job status co-evolve through time. Our key assumption is that the probability of formation of a new tie is greater between two employed individuals than between an employed...

During the nineties, unemployment fell in a number of European countries while it remained high in others. This Paper discusses potential causes for that evolution in light of recent economic research, emphasizing obstacles to reform due to political constraints, the prevalence of ideology, and...

This Paper analyses the evolution of quantitative measures of employee rents in Europe during the nineties, using the European Household Panel Survey. I look at two classes of measures: wage differentials between workers along industry and firm size dimensions; and estimated welfare differences...