Answer to Question #331240 in Macroeconomics for Nalyn

Question

Explain each different types of unemployment.

Answer 1

There are four main types of unemployment in an economy—frictional, structural, cyclical, and seasonal—and each has a different cause.

1. Frictional unemployment. Frictional unemployment is caused by temporary transitions in workers’ lives, such as when a worker moves to a new city and has to find a new job. Frictional unemployment also includes people just entering the labor force, such as freshly graduated college students. It is the most common cause of unemployment, and it is always in effect in an economy.
2. Structural unemployment. Structural unemployment is caused by a mismatch in the demographics of workers and the types of jobs available, either when there are jobs available that workers don’t have the skills for, or when there are workers available but no jobs to fill. Structural unemployment is most obvious in industries undergoing technological advancements. For example, in the farming industry, much of the work is becoming mechanized, which means that fewer farmers are needed and many are let go. When these farmers go to cities to find work, they may find no other similar jobs in which to apply their skills.
3. Cyclical unemployment. Cyclical unemployment is caused by declining demand: when there is not enough demand in an economy for goods and services, businesses cannot offer jobs. According to Keynesian economics, cyclical unemployment is a natural result of the business cycle in times of recession: if all consumers become fearful at once, consumers will attempt to increase their savings at the same time, which means there will be a decrease in spending, and businesses will not be able to employ all employable workers.
4. Seasonal unemployment. Seasonal unemployment is caused by different industries or parts of the labor market being available during different seasons. For instance, unemployment goes up in the winter months, because many agricultural jobs end once crops are harvested in the fall, and those workers are left to find new jobs.