Labor regulation on employment for Bolivian registered manufacturing firms during 1988 to 2007

Authors

  • Beatriz Muriel Hernández INESAD Foundation
  • Carlos Gustavo Machicado Salas INESAD Foundation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35319/lajed.20142194

Keywords:

job flows, labor demand, labor regulation, Bolivia

Abstract

This paper analyzes the effects of labor regulation on employment for Bolivian registered manufacturing firms during 1988 to 2007. By estimating job flows we find that firms with high temporary worker rates (as a proxy of lower labor regulation costs) are those with both higher job reallocation rates and higher net employment growth, and only they contributed to employment growth during the country economic downturn, 1998-1999. In addition, by estimating demand functions we find that labor regulation changes (measured through the compulsory basic salary and the major labor costs derived from the new pension law) entailed costs in terms of permanent employment losses.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Beatriz Muriel Hernández, INESAD Foundation

Senior Researcher of the INESAD Foundation.

Carlos Gustavo Machicado Salas, INESAD Foundation

Senior Researcher of the INESAD Foundation.

References

Akerlof, A. G. y J. L. Yellen (1986). Efficiency Salary Models of the Labor Market. Nueva York: Cambridge University Press.

Autor, D., Kerr, W. y Kugler A. (2007). “Do Employment Protection Reduce Productivity? Evidence from U.S. States”. NBER Working Paper Nº. 12860, Cambridge, MA.

Baltagi, B. H., y Heun Song, S. (2006). “Unbalanced Panel Data: A survey”. Statistical Papers, 47: 493-523.

Banco Mundial (2009). Doing Business 2010: Reforming Through Difficulties. Banco Internacional para la Reconstrucción y el Desarrollo, Washington DC: Banco Mundial.

Barja, G. (2000). “Las reformas estructurales bolivianas y su impacto sobre las inversiones”. En: L. C. Jemio y E. Antelo (eds): Quince años de reformas estructurales en Bolivia: sus impactos sobre inversión, crecimiento y equidad. La Paz, Bolivia: CEPAL-IISEC.

Behar, A. (2004). “Estimates of Labour Demand Elasticities and Elasticities of Substitution Using Firm Level Manufacturing Data”. Centre for Social Science Research Working Paper Nº 98, Rondebosch, Sudáfrica.

Berndt, E. R. y Christensen, L. R. (1973). “The Translog Function and the Substitution of Equipment, Structures, and Labor in U.S. Manufacturing 1929–68”. Journal of Econometrics 1: 81–114.

Bierens, H. J. (2007). “Multicollinearity”. Manuscrito no publicado, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania.

Binswanger, H. P. (1974). “The Measurement of Technical Change Biases with Many Factors of Production”. American Economic Review, 64(6), 963-976.

Biorn, E. (2004). “Regression Systems for Unbalanced Panel Data: A Stepwise Maximum Likelihood Procedure”. Journal of Econometrics, 122: 281-291.

Blackorby, C. y Russell, R. R. (1989). “Will the Real Elasticity of Substitution Please Stand Up?: A comparison of the Allen/Uzawa and Morishima Elasticities”. The American Economic Review, 79 (4), 882–888.

Blomberg, J. (2007). Essays on the Economics of the Aluminium Industry. Departamento de Administración de Negocios y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Tecnología Luleå, Suecia.

Bolivia: Ministerio de Desarrollo Económico, INE, BCB, CEP, CEPROBOL, UDAPE, UNCTAD, DFI (2005). Flujos de capital extranjero privado y percepción del clima de inversión. La Paz, Bolivia.

Bölük, G. y Ali Koç, A. (2010). “Electricity Demand of Manufacturing Sector in Turkey: A Translog Cost Approach”. Energy Economics, 32: 609–615.

Botero C. J., Djankov, S., La Porta, R., Lopez-de-Silanes, F. y Shleifer, A. (2004). “The Regulation of Labor”. Manuscrito no publicado, Yale University, New Haven.

Brasil. Ministerio de Relaciones Internacionales del Brasil (2004). “Inversión en Brasil paso a paso”. División de Promoción Comercial, Brasil.

Calvo, S. (2006). “Applying the Growth Diagnostics Approach: The Case of Bolivia”. Banco Mundial, La Paz, Bolivia.

Cameron, A. C. y Trivedi, P. K. (2009). Microeconometrics Using Stata, Stata Press, College Station, Texas.

CEDLA (2006). “Diagnóstico nacional sobre la situación económica laboral de adolescentes y jóvenes”. GTZ-CEDLA, La Paz, Bolivia.

Chávez, A. G. y Muriel H., B. (2004). “Los efectos económicos de la erradicación forzosa de la hoja de coca”. Manuscrito no publicado, La Paz, Bolivia.

Davis, S. J., Haltiwanger, J. C. y Schuh, S. (1996). Job Creation and Destruction. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Evia, T. (2010). “Eficiencia técnica del sector manufacturero en Bolivia: una aproximación de frontera de producción estocástica”. Tesis de graduación en Economía, Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo”, La Paz, Bolivia.

FajnZylber, P., Perry, G., Maloney, W., Arias, O., Mason, A. y Saavedra-Chanduvi, J. (2007). Informality: Exit and Exclusion, Building Effective and Legitimate Institutions. Washington, DC: Banco Mundial.

Gersdorff, H. von (1997). “The Bolivian Pension Reform: Innovative Solutions to Common Problems”. Manuscrito no publicado, Departamento de Desarrollo del Sector Financiero, Banco Mundial.

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) (2008). Reporte Nacional Bolivia 2008, Maestrías para el Desarrollo, Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo”, La Paz, Bolivia.

Greene, W. H. (2008). Econometric Analysis. Nueva Jersey: Upper Saddle River.

Gruber, J. (1997). “The Incidence of Payroll Taxation: Evidence from Chile”. Journal of Labor Economics, 15 (S3): S72-S101.

Haltiwanger, J. C., y Schuh, S. (1999). “Gross Job Flows Between Plants and Industries”. New England Economic Review (marzo/abril): 41-64.

Haltiwanger, J. C. y Vodopivec, M. (2002). “Worker Flows, Job Flows and Firm Salary Policies: An Analysis of Slovenia”. Discussion Paper Nº 569 (septiembre), Instituto de Estudios en Empleo (IZA), Bonn, Alemania.

Haltiwanger, J. C., Scarpetta, S. y Schweiger, H. (2006). “Assessing Job Flows across Countries: The Role of Industry, Firm Size, and Regulations”. Discussion Paper Nº 4070 (noviembre), Instituto de Estudios en Empleo (IZA), Bonn, Alemania.

Hamermesh, D. (1986). “The Demand for Labor in the Long Run”. En: O. Ashenfelter y R. Layard, eds.: Handbook of Labor Economics (Volume 1). North-Holland: Elsevier.

---------- (1993). Labor Demand. Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press.

Heckman, J. y Pagés, C. (2004). “Law and Employment: Lessons from Latin America y the Caribbean: An introduction”. En: J. Heckman y C. Pagés, eds. Law y Employment: Lessons from Latin America y the Caribbean. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Hsieh, C. T., y Klenow, P. (2009). “Misallocation and Manufacturing TFP in China and India”. Quarterly Journal of Economics, CXXIV(4): 1403-1448.

Jemio, L. C. (2000). “Crunch de crédito en el sistema financiero boliviano”. Manuscrito no publicado, Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF), La Paz, Bolivia.

Kaplan, D. S. (2009). “The Effects of Rigid Labor Regulations in Latin America”. Enterprise Surveys, Enterprise Note Series, Banco Mundial.

Kaufmann, D., Kraay, A. y Mastruzzi, M. (2010). “The Worldwide Governance Indicadores: Methodology and Analytical Issues”, Draft Policy Research, Working Paper.

Kesselman, R. J., Williamson, D. H. y Berndt, E. R. (1977). “Tax Credits for Employment Rather than Investment”. The American Economic Review, 67(3): 339-349.

Krugman P. R. y Obstfeld, M. (2001). Economía internacional: teoría y política. Madrid: Pearson Educación S.A., quinta edición.

Landa, F. y Jiménez, W. (2004). “Empleo y productividad de la pequeña y mediana empresa de la manufactura en Bolivia, 1995-1999”. Evaluación de la pobreza en Bolivia, Banco Mundial.

Layard, R., Stephen, N. y Jackman, R. (1991). Unemployment, Macroeconomic Performance and the Labor Market. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Lazear, E. (2000). “Performance Pay and Productivity”. The American Economic Review, 90 (5): 1346-1361.

Machicado C. G. y Birbuet, J. Z. (2009). “Misallocation and Manufacturing TFP in the Market Liberalization Period of Bolivia”. Development Research, Working Paper 06/2009, Instituto de Estudios Avanzados en Desarrollo (INESAD), La Paz, Bolivia.

Mercado, A., Leitón, J. y Chacón, M. (2005). “El crecimiento económico en Bolivia, 1952- 2003”. Documento de Trabajo Nº 01, Instituto de Investigaciones Socioeconómicas (IISEC), Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo”, La Paz, Bolivia.

Micco, A. y Pagés, C. (2004). “Employment Protection and Gross Job Flows: A Difference-in-Difference Approach”. Manuscrito no publicado.

Morales, R. (2008). “El sector informal en Bolivia. Reflexiones teóricas y realidad estadística”. Superintendencia de Empresas, La Paz, Bolivia.

Muriel, H. B. (2004). “Três ensaios sobre as predições de Heckscher-Ohlin: Questões teóricas e testes empíricos”. Tesis de Doctorado en Economía, Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

---------- (2005). “Female labor market conditions in urban Bolivia”, Working Paper Nº 003, Master for Development, Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo”, La Paz, Bolivia.

---------- (2011). “Rethinking Earnings Determinants in the Urban Areas of Bolivia”. Development Research Working Paper Nº 05, Instituto de Estudios Avanzados en Desarrollo (INESAD), La Paz, Bolivia.

Muriel, H. B. y Ferrufino, R. (2011). “Regulación laboral y mercado de trabajo: principales desafíos para Bolivia”. Manuscrito no publicado, Fundación Milenio, Embajada de Dinamarca, La Paz, Bolivia.

Muriel, H. B. y Jemio, L. C. (2010). “Mercado laboral y reformas en Bolivia”. En: J. Rodríguez y A. Berry eds.: Desafíos laborales en América Latina después de dos décadas de reformas estructurales. Lima: Instituto de Estudios Peruanos.

Nissin, J. (1984). “The Price Responsiveness of the Demand for Labour by Skill: British Mechanical Engineering: 1963-1978”, The Economic Journal, 94 (376): 812-825.

Oi, W. Y. (1990). “Employment Relations in Dual Labor Markets”, Journal of Labor Economics, 8(1): S124-S149.

Peichl, A. y Sieglochz, S. (2010). “Incorporating Labor Demand Effects into the Microsimulation of Tax and Benefits Reforms”. Manuscrito no publicado, Instituto de Estudios en Empleo (IZA), Bonn, Alemania.

Rajan, R. y Zingales, L. (1998). “Financial Dependence and Growth”. American Economic Review, 88(3): 559-586.

Schneider, F. (2002). “Size and Measurement of the Informal Economy in 110 Countries around the World”. Documento preparado para el Taller del Centro de Impuestos Nacionales Australiano, ANU.

Solow, R. (1979). “Another Possible Source of Salary Stickiness”. Journal of Macroeconomics, 1: 79-82.

Stiglitz, J. (1976). “The Efficiency Salary Hypothesis, Surplus Labour, and the Distribution of Income in L.D.C.s”.Oxford Economic Papers: 185-207.

Vargas, M. (2011). “Ser o no ser Informal: una simulación estructural para Bolivia”. Manuscrito no publicado, Fundación ARU, La Paz, Bolivia.

Wooldridge, J. M. (2002). Econometric Analysis of Cross Section y Panel Data. Cambridge: MA MIT Press.

Yellen, J. L. (1984). “Efficiency Salary Models of Unemployment”. The American Economic Review, 74(2):200-205.

Published

2014-05-01

How to Cite

Hernández, B. M., & Machicado Salas, C. G. (2014). Labor regulation on employment for Bolivian registered manufacturing firms during 1988 to 2007. Latin American Journal of Economic Development, 12(21), 9–60. https://doi.org/10.35319/lajed.20142194