Optimal research and development and the cost of business cycles |
| |
Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Galo?Nu?oEmail author |
| |
Institution: | 1.Banco de Espa?a,Madrid,Spain |
| |
Abstract: | While research and development (R&D) investment has been procyclical in the post-war period, recent literature suggests that
the optimal path for R&D is countercyclical, and that the economy would be better off by subsidizing R&D in recessions. The
objective of this paper is to analyze the welfare effects of distortions in the intertemporal allocation of R&D resources
and to compare diverse policy interventions so as to improve social welfare. To this end, we introduce a calibrated dynamic
stochastic general equilibrium model with Schumpeterian endogenous growth that is capable of explaining the observed procyclicality
of R&D. Our results show that the cost of business cycles is lower in the decentralized economy with procyclical R&D than
in the efficient allocation with countercyclical R&D. This is because the suboptimal propagation of shocks in the decentralized
equilibrium offsets some of the existing steady-state distortions. In this second-best context, countercyclical R&D subsidies have no positive effect on welfare. In contrast, fiscal policies aimed at restoring
the optimal steady-state produce large welfare gains. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|