Demand Uncertainty, Mismatch and (Un)Employment

A finite number of heterogeneous firms facing demand-induced price fluctuations imperfectly compete for heterogeneous workers. Because firms must commit to wages and employment before the realization of product price, they exhibit a risk-averse behavior. It is then shown that unemployment may arise in equilibrium because of the combination of uncertainty on product price and mismatch between workers' skills and firms' job requirements.