This dissertation consists of three essays on fiscal policies and horizontal mismatch between education and job. The first essay analyzes the effect of mismatch between study field and job on earnings based on propensity score matching model. The seco...
This dissertation consists of three essays on fiscal policies and horizontal mismatch between education and job. The first essay analyzes the effect of mismatch between study field and job on earnings based on propensity score matching model. The second research looks into the economic effects of government expenditure and taxation, which are representative fiscal policy tools to stabilize the economy, by using Structural Vector Error Correction Model. The last paper builds macro-econometric models specialized for fiscal areas and analyzes the effects of functional government expenditure on the economy.
(1) An analysis on the effect of mismatch between study field and job based on Propensity Score Matching (PSM) model
Recently in the issue of connecting school education to the labor market, more attention is being paid to quality than quantity, as, in terms of labor supply, a quality-focused approach better assesses whether labor is rightly allocated. By using data from 「Graduates Occupational Mobility Survey(2007GOMS1)」of Korea Employment Information Service(KEIS) this paper analyses the determinants of mismatch between study field and job (horizontal mismatch) and looks into inefficiency of horizontal mismatch by studying whether the mismatch reduces incomes. What is important in studies on these issues is considering individual's heterogeneity or ability. This paper uses PSM in order to control individual's heterogeneity, ability and selection bias. PSM is a cutting edge methodology among econometric models for counterfactual analysis (an estimate of outcomes that would have prevailed had a group not been involved in business). It is more effective than other methods, as it excludes other factors and only measures horizontal mismatch.
The following is the summary of analysis results. First, the assessment of determinants of horizontal mismatch shows that horizontal mismatch is low within the groups of university graduates, graduates with minors, those with job experience and regular workers.
On the other hand, horizontal mismatch is high among the groups of Associate degree (two-year college program) graduates, those who received job training, and government workers. The assessment of horizontal mismatch according to college majors shows that the mismatch is statistically significantly low among those with majors requiring occupation specific skills such as general education, early childhood education, special education, elementary education, secondary education, nursing, therapy·health care, medicine and pharmacology. The result can be interpreted that job transfer cost is high for those with occupation specific skill requiring majors but it is not for those who majored in language, humanities, social science or other general training requiring fields therefore more likely to increase horizontal mismatch.
Second, the analysis of horizontal mismatch effects on incomes demonstrates that its effects on incomes are not statistically significant. This study shows that the individual's ability or heterogeneity have no statistically significant effects on a decrease in incomes
(2) An analysis on the effect of fiscal policy using Structural Vector Error Correction (SVEC) model
Fiscal policy's role in stabilizing the economy has become more important, as the recent financial crisis led to low interest rates and interest elasticity of investment, and ultimately financial policy's role weakened. As seen in the process of recovering from the 2008 global financial crisis, in the open economy the independence and effectiveness of financial policy is reduced hence there is a strong demand for stabilizing the economy with fiscal policies. Under those circumstances, this paper analyzes which fiscal policy means are more effective for Korea to build a stable economy.
SVEC Model in this study uses cointegration relationships, and therefore so prevents original time series data loss and enables structural analysis by using economic theories as identification restriction like Structural Vector Autoregression(SVAR) Model.
This model recognizes that basically most economic time series variables are unstable and only stabilized with the first differences. It therefore uses the structure of adjusting long term data loss of original time series, which is caused by differences, through cointegration relationships of level variables. Besides, by using economic theories and cointegration vectors as identification restriction, this model enables structural analysis and the consideration of policy lag and the fiscal function of automatic stabilizer, which are original characteristics of fiscal policy.
The results of empirical analysis are as follows: First, based on the model of three variables (national income, government revenue and government expenditure) analysis on the effects of fiscal spending and tax policy was carried out. The result shows that only government expenditure has a statistically significant positive effect on national income. An increase in government revenue has no statistically significant effect.
Second, analysis based on the model of five variables (national income, government revenue, government expenditure, inflation and interest rate) shows that only government expenditure has an effect on national income just as three-variable model. On the other hand, the effect of tax policy on national income was not clear. In Korea, fiscal policies to stabilize the economy have been carried out mainly by government expenditure. In the process of recovering from the recent global financial crisis, again, the government played an active role in stabilizing the economy by expanding fiscal spending.
(3) An analysis on the effect of functional government expenditure based on macro-econometric model
When it comes to government expenditure, its effects on the macro economy such as incomes and prices vary depending on each functional expenditures. Therefore by modifying functional resource allocation government fiscal policy goals can be more effectively achieved and the efficiency of fiscal management can be enhanced by adjusting expenditure priorities. Korea's government expenditure has expanded significantly in size, which has resulted in the emergence of building fiscal soundness in the mid-long term as an urgent issue. Therefore, systematic and continued analysis of the propriety and economic effect of functional resource allocation is required and functional fiscal management based on the analysis should be pursued.
In this regard, this paper, based on macro econometric models, analyzes the economic effects of functional government expenditure. In addition, this paper also analyses whether government expenditure effects are changed when methods of finance are modified.
The results of policy simulation are as follows. First, it was found that the effects of economic services and defense expenditure on the economy such as real GDP are relatively strong. The expenditure on these areas significantly increases real GDP, since it includes high capital expenditure which is the most effective among economic expenditures in boosting economic growth.
Second, social development expenditure was expected to have less economic effects than expenditure on other areas, as it includes social welfare and health expenditure, and, because this kind of expenditure usuallyhas strong characteristics of public transfer. However, the results show a relatively stronger inducement effect on the economy than expected.
That is why social development expenditure includes housing and community amenities expenses. The share of capital expenditure on this field is significantly large,so it has a similar economic effect to expenditure on general public service or education.
Furthermore, defense expenditure is more effective than expected in increasing GDP, as the share of capital expenditure and expense on goods & service is large and the share of current expenditure is small, which has a relatively minor inducement effect on the economy.