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Course 2017-2018 a.y.

30147 - THE ECONOMICS OF IMPERFECT LABOUR MARKETS


CLEAM - CLEF - BESS-CLES - WBB - BIEF - BIEM - BIG
Department of Economics

Course taught in English


Go to class group/s: 31

CLEAM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/02) - CLEF (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/02) - BESS-CLES (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/02) - WBB (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/02) - BIEF (6 credits - I sem. - OBCURS  |  SECS-P/02) - BIEM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/02) - BIG (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/02)

Classes: 31 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: THOMAS EMILE ROBERT LE BARBANCHON


Course Objectives
This course is an introduction to labour economics. The course objective is to understand how labour markets work and how they are affected by institutions and labour market policies. Both empirical evidence and standard theory are covered.  The course highlights the effects on efficiency and the redistributive properties of institutions operating in imperfect labour markets, subject to market failures. This provides three reasons for the existence of institutions:
  • Remedying market failures.
  • Achieving some redistributive goals.
  • Remedying potential negative side effects of other institutions.

Intended Learning Outcomes
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Course Content Summary

The course consists of 9 key lectures:

  • Labour supply.
  • Labour demand. 
  • Equilibrium in the labor market. 
  • Human capital. 
  • Discrimination. 
  • Minimum wages.
  • Employment protection legislation. 
  • Unemployment insurance.
  • Active Labor Market Policies.

    Each lecture covers stylized facts (time-series evolution and cross-country variation), theories, empirical evidence (macro and micro evidence, as difference-in-difference) and policy applications.


    Teaching methods
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    Assessment methods
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    Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

    The exam is in written form, notably a one-hour written exam with 2-3 questions, carrying each the same weight on the final grade.

    There is a midterm exam covering the first half of the course and a final exam covering the remaining half.

    Those not passing the midterm exam have to take a general exam covering both parts (with 4 to 6 questions and lasting two hours).


    Textbooks
    • G.BORJAS, Labour economics, McGraw-Hill, international edition, 6th edition.
    • T. BOERI, J. VAN OURS, The economics of imperfect labour markets, Priceton University Press, 2nd edition.
    • PDF presentation are provided.

    Prerequisites

    The technical level required by the course is modest. Attending students should have taken an introductory course in microeconomics, a semester of calculus and an introductory course in statistics. In any event a numeric and geometric treatment of many key results is offered to ease the understanding of how institutions operate. In such simpler treatment, all the main arguments are presented and the main results outlined, even though they lack the rigor and the generality that the use of algebra allows.

    Last change 10/05/2017 12:05