What Are the Effects of Technology Shocks on International Labor Markets?
How do international labor markets respond to a technology shock and what is the main transmission channel across countries with different labor market institutions? To answer these questions, I identify technology shocks using the approach of Galí (1999) and decompose the responses of total hours worked into movements along the extensive and the intensive margins. Overall, my analysis shows that technology shocks have a negative effect on total hours. This effect is stronger in countries with flexible labor markets, where the adjustment takes place along both margins. In contrast, the responses of total hours are smaller in countries with strict labor market legislation, where labor adjustment takes place along the intensive margin. These differences can be linked to the strictness of institutions that target quantity and price adjustments in the labor market.