This paper analyses the reaction of fiscal policy to the cycle in OECD countries. The results suggest that while overall government balances were counter-cyclical in the past and more so in economic downturns than in upswings, discretionary fiscal policy was neutral on average. However,...

This paper analyses several of the cross-market effects of policies aimed at influencing outcomes in product and labour markets. Focusing on subsets of OECD countries, we look at the implications of product market competition for industry wages and overall employment, and the implications of...

In this paper we present comparative evidence from OECD countries concerning the impact of product and labour market regulations on innovation. While product and labour market policies usually aim at objectives other than innovation, they may have important consequences for the profitability of...