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Real unit labour costs in Eurozone countries: Drivers and clusters

Author

Listed:
  • Javier Ordóñez

    (Departament d’Economia, Universitat Jaume I de Castelló)

  • Hector Sala Lorda

    (Departament d'Economia Aplicada, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona)

  • Hector José I. Silva

    (School of Economics, Keynes College, University of Kent,)

Abstract
We examine the trajectories of the real unit labour costs (RULCs) in a selection of Eurozone economies. Strong asymmetries in the convergence process of the RULCs and its components —real wages, capital intensity, and technology— are uncovered through decomposition and cluster analyses. In the last three decades, the PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain) succeeded in reducing their RULCs by more than their northern partners. With the exception of Ireland, however, technological progress was weak; it was through capital intensification that periphery economies gained efficiency and competitiveness. Cluster heterogeneity, and lack of robustness in cluster composition, is a reflection of the difficulties in achieving real convergence and, by extension, nominal convergence. We conclude by outlining technology as the key convergence factor, and call for a renewed attention to real convergence indicators to strengthen the process of European integration.

Suggested Citation

  • Javier Ordóñez & Hector Sala Lorda & Hector José I. Silva, 2014. "Real unit labour costs in Eurozone countries: Drivers and clusters," Working Papers wpdea1405, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    • Handle: RePEc:uab:wprdea:wpdea1405
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Janez Kren, & T.Huw Edwards, & Jan Van Hove,, 2016. "Dynamics in European Exports in times of Crisis: The Impact of Growth at Home and Abroad," Discussion Paper Series 2016_01, Department of Economics, Loughborough University, revised Feb 2016.
    2. Mercedes Monfort & Javier Ordóñez & Hector Sala, 2018. "Inequality and Unemployment Patterns in Europe: Does Integration Lead to (Real) Convergence?," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 703-724, September.
    3. repec:uab:wprdea:wpdea1409 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. repec:uab:wprdea:wpdea1410 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Juan Carlos Cuestas & Mercedes Monfort & Javier Ordóñez, 2021. "The education pillar of the Europe 2020 strategy: a convergence analysis," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 48(4), pages 1113-1129, November.
    6. Juan C. Cuestas & Mercedes Monfort & Javier Ordóñez, 2021. "Stochastic convergence in real personal disposable income in the EU: A note," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 6390-6394, October.
    7. Andre M. Marques & Gilberto Tadeu Lima, 2021. "Testing for Granger Causality in Quantiles Between the Wage Share and Capacity Utilization," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2021_03, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    8. Maynou, Laia & Monfort, Mercedes & Morley, Bruce & Ordóñez, Javier, 2021. "Club convergence in European housing prices: The role of macroeconomic and housing market fundamentals," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    9. Atanu Ghoshray & Mercedes Monfort & Javier Ordóñez, 2020. "Economic integration and the distribution of income in Europe: A between country analysis," Working Papers 2020/11, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).
    10. Juan Ángel Lafuente & Amparo Marco & Mercedes Monfort & Javier Ordóñez, 2020. "Social Exclusion and Convergence in the EU: An Assessment of the Europe 2020 Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-22, February.
    11. Juan Carlos Cuestas & Mercedes Monfort & Javier Ordóñez, 2020. "Stochastic convergence in real personal disposable income in the EU," Working Papers 2020/09, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).
    12. Juan Carlos Cuestas & Javier Ordóñez & Karsten Staehr, 2019. "Unit labour costs and the dynamics of output and unemployment in the southern European crisis countries," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 46(3), pages 597-616, August.
    13. Marques, André M. & Lima, Gilberto Tadeu, 2022. "Testing for Granger causality in quantiles between the wage share in income and productive capacity utilization," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 290-312.
    14. Ghoshray, Atanu & Ordóñez, Javier & Sala, Hector, 2016. "Euro, crisis and unemployment: Youth patterns, youth policies?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 442-453.
    15. Roxana Gutierrez-Romero & Monica Oviedo Leon, 2014. "The good, the bad and the ugly: The socio-economic impact of drug cartels and their violence in Mexico," Working Papers wpdea1407, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    16. Cuestas, Juan Carlos & Monfort, Mercedes & Ordóñez, Javier, 2024. "Gas price shocks, the current account, and the real exchange rate: An empirical analysis for the EU," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    17. Adnan Velic, 2024. "Current Account Imbalances, Real Exchange Rates, and Nominal Exchange Rate Variability," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 497-545, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Real unit labour costs; Eurozone; Real wages; Capital intensity; Technology;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies
    • F62 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Macroeconomic Impacts
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

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