The demographic composition of the U.S. labor force has changed dramatically
over the past several decades. My Dissertation examines the age distribution, the
supply of skills, and the participation of women in the workforce. The Örst chapter
postulates a connection between the age distribution and the business cycle. I develop
an overlapping generations model featuring search frictions and productivity shocks
to present the theory. Chapter 2 studies the supply of high-skill workers and also relies
on a labor matching model. In the model, Örms react to changes in the distribution
of skills by creating jobs designed speciÖcally for high-skill workers. The new matches
are more proÖtable and less likely to break apart. In quantitative simulations, the
model economies in the Örst two chapters replicate a substantial portion of the recent
moderation in cyclical output volatility. The Öndings suggest an important role for
demographics in determining the magnitude of aggregate áuctuations. The third
chapter is joint work with Daniele Coen-Pirani and Alexis LeÛn. We estimate the
e§ect of household appliance ownership on the labor force participation rate of married
women using micro-level data. The di§usion of household appliances can account for
about one-third of the increase in married womenís labor force participation rates
observed during the 1960ís according to our results.