Welcome to this website

 I am currently an Assistant Professor of the Center for Applied Economics, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Chile.

My current research interests are Macroeconomics, Labor Economics and Applied Economics.

Some of my research has focused on labor search models with selectivity. In another line of research, I also try to answer more empirically oriented questions in labor and applied economics.

Here you can find my C.V.

Contact: benjamin (at) benjaminvillena.com

 

Research Papers:

 

• Aggregate Implications of Employer Search and Recruiting Selection (CEA WP 272)

• Wage Dispersion and Recruiting Selection (CEA WP 271)

• Unemployment, Participation, and Worker Flows over the Life Cycle (joint with S. Choi, UA Barcelona; and A.Janiak, Center for Applied Economics, U of Chile) (old version: CEA WP 278, new version: Barcelona GSE WP 617) [submitted]

• Causal Effects of Maternal Time-Investments on Children's Cognitive Outcomes (joint with C. Ríos-Aguilar, Claremont Graduate University) (CEA WP 285) [submitted] [Online Appendix here]

• Do Always Employers Prefer Skilled Workers? Effects of Human Capital Distribution in a Recruiting Selection Economy.

• The Cyclical Behavior of Manufacturing Interindustry Wage Differentials (joint with S. Claro, Central Bank of Chile) [work in progress]

• Self-Employment and Market-Tightness in Chile [work in progress]

• Estimating Legislators' Preferences with an Endogenous Proposal Stage (joint with M. Triossi, Center for Applied Economics; and P. Valdivieso, Catholic University of Chile) [work in progress]

• Hiring Selectivity and Business Cycle Dynamics in the Labor Market [work in progress]

Teaching:

 

• Macroeconomics (IN4203) : introductory course at undergraduate level, for Industrial Engeneering major.

• Macroeconomics II (IN759): Master level course that covers growth, business cycles, capital markets, and money.

• Labor Macroeconomics (IN7E1): Joint with Alexandre Janiak. Short master level course covering diferent aspects of search models.

• Theory of Public Finance (IN7E2): Joint with Sofia Bauducco. Short master level course covering applications of dynamic contract theory to welfare programs and taxation.