Advances in the Theory and Measurement of Unemployment

This book is a collection of papers representing some new approaches to the analysis of unemployment. One common thread is that unemployment is an unavoidable consequence of limited enforcability of labour contracts. According to the "efficiency wages" view, unemployment arises as a second best method for the maintenance of work discipline. Unemployment is also an investment activity used for search and matching. From a social point of view there may be excessive search by workers and forms. Severance payments and unemployment insurance increase the incidence of unemployment.;The first part of the book contains papers which analyze and measure unemployment as a search activity, the second contains papers which discuss efficiency wage models and the final part considers the impact of government and unions on employment and unemployment.;Gideon Fishelson has also written "Economic Cooperation in the Middle East" and "Residential Fuel Policy and the Environment" with A.C.Cohen and J.L.Gardner.