Background
Labour hoarding refers to the practice of businesses retaining more employees than are needed for current production levels during economic downturns. This concept is rooted in expectations for future economic recovery and considerations on the costs associated with hiring and training new workers versus retaining existing ones.
Historical Context
Labour hoarding has been observed during numerous economic cycles, particularly notable during major recessions such as the Great Depression, the stagflations of the 1970s, and the global financial crisis of 2008. Businesses might choose to hoard labour anticipating that the downturn will be short-lived and so to avoid the costs and disruptions associated with layoffs and subsequent rehiring and retraining when the economy picks up.
Definitions and Concepts
Labour hoarding is fundamentally about balancing immediate cost-savings from workforce reductions against potential future costs of recruiting and training new workers. Here, businesses hedge against the uncertainty of the duration and impact of an economic downturn versus the aftermath of recovery.
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
Classical economists might view labour hoarding as inefficient resource allocation, where production inputs (labour) are not optimally utilized.
Neoclassical Economics
From a neoclassical perspective, labour hoarding could be justified if the marginal cost of hoarding labour exceeds the marginal benefit of reducing it. This calculation involves assessing both short-term and long-term costs and benefits related to employment dynamics.
Keynesian Economic
Keynesian theory supports labour hoarding during downturns to stabilize the unemployment levels and to maintain aggregate demand, positing that retaining workers can help sustain consumer spending and aggregate demand.
Marxian Economics
Marxian economics might consider labour hoarding as evidence of an employer’s attempt to maintain control over the labour force, even in times of economic difficulty, thereby illustrating issues like “industrial reserve army.”
Institutional Economics
Labour hoarding within Institutional Economics would examine how norms, industrial relations, and legal frameworks influence organizational decisions on labour retention practices during recessions.
Behavioral Economics
Behavioral economics may focus on non-economic factors influencing labour hoarding, such as managerial biases, impacts on employee morale, and the complexities of intra-firm relationships.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Post-Keynesian views might emphasize the importance of maintaining employment to manage fluctuating demand cycles, thus stabilizing both individual businesses and the broader economy.
Austrian Economics
Austrian economists would typically critique labour hoarding as a distortionary practice, hindering market self-correction and resource reallocation necessary for economic adaptation and recovery.
Development Economics
In the context of developing economies, labour hoarding may underscore the precariousness of employment and the role of businesses in cushioning employees against economic volatility.
Monetarism
From a monetarist viewpoint, labour hoarding would be analyzed through its impact on wages, inflation rates, and overall labour market rigidity.
Comparative Analysis
Labour hoarding practices might vary significantly across different economies and industries, dictated by the specific economic environments, workforce regulations, and cultural expectations. For example, collective bargaining in some European nations or the at-will employment doctrine predominant in the United States can lead to differing levels of labour hoarding.
Case Studies
Historical examples and specific corporate case studies during downturns like the 2008 financial crisis can offer insights into the varied outcomes of labour hoarding across different sectors and regions.
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- “Employment Relations and Global Governance” by Franz Traxler and Glenn Morgan.
- “The Economics of Labour Markets” by Bruce E. Kaufman.
- “A Biography of the Dollar: How the Mighty Buck Conquered the World and Why It’s Under Siege” by Craig Karmin.
- “Manias, Panics, and Crashes: A History of Financial Crises” by Robert Z. Aliber and Charles P. Kindleberger.
Related Terms with Definitions
- Economic Downturn: A period when the economy shrinks, marked by decreased production and employment.
- Redundancy Payments: Compensation paid to employees who are let go due to downsizing.
- Recruitment Costs: Expenses associated with hiring new employees.
- Organizational Slack: Resources such as labour or capital kept as a buffer to absorb volatility or unexpected demands within a company.
- Aggregate Demand: The total demand for goods and services within an economy at a given overall price level and in a given period.
- Industrial Reserve Army: Marxist conception describing a pool of unemployed workers holding labour power in reserve.
