Panel Causality and Cointegration between Productivity and Unemployment

Abstract

This paper empirically investigates the link between productivity and unemployment in a panel of 19 OECD countries between 1970 and 2010. By means of recently developed panel data econometric methods, we find that unemployment and productivity are non-stationary in levels and they are cointegrated for the panel as a whole. In terms of causality, the stronger directional relationship runs from unemployment to productivity. Furthermore, the long-run effect seems to be generally positive, therefore favouring of those theories which suggest that prolonged recessions foster long-run productivity improvements.