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Abstract

A model of herding behavior in the labor market is presented where employers receive signals with limited precision about the workersrsquo types, and can observe previous employersrsquo decisions. Both the employer and the worker can influence the signal probabilities. In particular, the employer tries to increase the precision of the signal about the workerrsquos type whereas the worker wants to get a good signal, independent of her type. In a two-period model, we derive conditions for an equilibrium in which only down-cascades occur, i.e., the second employer does not hire a worker with a bad history even if he receives a favorable private signal about the workerrsquos type, but he follows his own signal if the workerrsquos history is good.

Keywords  herding - labor market - endogenous signal quality

JEL Classification  D83 - J64

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