Labor and investment frictions in a real business cycle model

This paper develops a prototype real business cycle model in which labor and investment frictions may compete directly with technology shocks in accounting for fluctuations in the postwar US economy. Using Ireland's [2004a. A method for taking models to the data. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 28, 1205–1226] methodology, we establish that both types of friction are quantitatively important. Technology shocks still explain a substantial fraction of the fluctuations in aggregate output, as the baseline real business cycle model predicts. Formal hypothesis tests suggest that changes in the recurrence of shocks, frictions, and structural parameters all play a role in accounting for the shift in the time series properties of the data between the periods before and after 1980.     

The simple analytics of optimal growth with illegal migrants: A clarification

This paper reexamines the welfare effects of illegal immigration studied by Hazari and Sgro [The simple analytics of optimal growth with illegal migrants. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 28(1) 141–151]. In contrast to their negative conclusion, we obtain ambiguous welfare prediction which is due to the presence of two opposing effects at work: a positive exploitation effect and a negative intertemporal effect. With Cobb–Douglas production technology, we show that per capita domestic consumption rises in the presence of illegal migration.     

Solving the incomplete markets model with aggregate uncertainty using the Krusell–Smith algorithm

This paper studies the properties of the solution to the heterogeneous agents model in Den Haan et al. [2009. Computational suite of models with heterogeneous agents: incomplete markets and aggregate uncertainty. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, this issue]. To solve for the individual policy rules, we use an Euler-equation method iterating on a grid of pre-specified points. To compute the aggregate law of motion, we use the stochastic-simulation approach of Krusell and Smith [1998. Income and wealth heterogeneity in the macroeconomy. Journal of Political Economy 106, 868–896]. We also compare the stochastic- and non-stochastic-simulation versions of the Krusell–Smith algorithm, and we find that the two versions are similar in terms of their speed and accuracy.     

Solving the incomplete market model with aggregate uncertainty using a perturbation method

We use a perturbation method to solve the incomplete markets model with aggregate uncertainty described in den Haan et al. [Computational suite of models with heterogeneous agents: incomplete markets and model uncertainty. Journal of Economic Dynamics & Control, this issue]. To apply that method, we use a “barrier method” to replace the original problem with occasionally binding inequality constraints by one with only equality constraints. We replace the structure with a continuum of agents by a setting in which a single infinitesimal agent faces prices generated by a representative-agent economy. We also solve a model variant with a large (but finite) number of agents. Our perturbation-based method is much simpler and faster than other methods.     

Solving the incomplete markets model with aggregate uncertainty using parameterized cross-sectional distributions

This note describes how the incomplete markets model with aggregate uncertainty in Den Haan et al. [Comparison of solutions to the incomplete markets model with aggregate uncertainty. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, this issue] is solved using standard quadrature and projection methods. This is made possible by linking the aggregate state variables to a parameterized density that describes the cross-sectional distribution. A simulation procedure is used to find the best shape of the density within the class of approximating densities considered. This note compares several simulation procedures in which there is—as in the model—no cross-sectional sampling variation.     

A note on the closed-form solution to the Lucas–Uzawa model with externality

Ruiz-Tamarit [2008. The closed-form solution for a family of four-dimension nonlinear MHDS. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 32, 1000–1014] provides a closed-form solution to the two-sector model of endogenous growth with externalities. He assumes that the coefficient of the relative risk aversion is equal to the physical capital share, but this assumption is empirically and theoretically implausible. This note uses the result of Boucekkine and Ruiz-Tamarit [2008. Special functions for the study of economic dynamics: the case of the Lucas–Uzawa model. Journal of Mathematical Economics 44, 33–54] and derives a closed-form solution without setting the parametric assumption. The solution path is expressed in terms of the Gauss hypergeometric functions.     

基于实物期权的风险投资项目评价分析

风险投资项目与其他项目相比不确定性更大,在传统投资决策方法下,风险投资项目的不确定性使项目的投资价值更低,而实物期权方法作为一种新的投资决策方法为风险项目投资中不确定性问题提供了一种解决的思路。尝试把实物期权理论引入到风险投资项目评估中,并把传统方法与实物期权方法结合起来,旨在完善风险投资项目的评价方法。最后得出结论,实物期权方法为投资者继续投资提供了科学的依据,其在风险项目投资决策中的应用具有重要意义。     

Modeling tourism: A fully identified VECM approach

System-based cointegration methods have become popular tools for economic analysis and forecasting. However, the identification of structural relationships is often problematic. Using a theory-directed sequential reduction method suggested by Hall, Henry and Greenslade [Hall, S. G., Henry, S., & Greenslade, J. (2002). On the identification of cointegrated systems in small samples: A modelling strategy with an application to UK wages and prices. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, 26, 1517–1537], we estimate a vector error correction model of Hawaii tourism, where both demand and supply-side influences are important. We identify reasonable long-run equilibrium relationships, and Diebold–Mariano tests for forecast accuracy demonstrate satisfactory forecasting performance.     

Outward FDI from Central and Eastern European Countries

In Central and Eastern Europe, outward foreign direct investment (FDI) has not yet become as a prominent factor in the regions reintegration into the world economy as trade liberalisation used to be in the early 1990s or inward foreign direct investment is currently. In the terminology of the investment–development path, with the notable exception of the Russian Federation, the region is in stage 2, whereby inward flows are still growing faster than outward flows. This article argues that a combination of the latecomer status of the regions transnational corporations and the transition shock can explain most of that laggard situation. It hypothesises that the enlargement of the European Union (EU) would give a major push to the outward foreign direct investment flows of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), on condition that adequate government policies to promote those investments are put in place. The impact on the investment–development path, however, is uncertain, because accession to the EU is often accompanied by a surge in foreign direct investment inflows, too. Finally, the article also looks at the options available to deal with the specific problems of the Russian Federation in relation to capital flight, including ways of regularisation and potential return to the home economy.     

期权的应用与房地产项目投融资探析

房地产项目投资具有较大风险和不确定性,运用传统投资评价方法不能挖掘项目的不确定性所带来的价值。文章引入实物期权理论,并通过净现值法和实物期权法对房地产投资决策案例进行对比分析,得出在较高不确定性环境下,实物期权理论能够挖掘项目潜在的价值,更加符合经济活动的要求。     

商业地产分期开发期权价值分析

开发企业采取分期开发方式,可以利用项目未知信息中蕴涵的机会给项目带来进一步选择的灵活性,以扩大项目价值。传统投资决策方法只适用于短期的、确定性高的一次性投资项目,而实物期权理论却是探讨分期开发投资的一种有效工具。采用Geske推导的复合看涨期权定价公式以及B-S简单看涨期权定价模型,构建分期开发期权价值计算模型,求解分期开发期权价值大小。该模型合理地评估了商业地产分期开发期权价值的大小,可以作为商业地产开发商进行投资决策的依据。     

Option hedging theory under transaction costs

The problem of option hedging in the presence of proportional transaction costs can be formulated as a singular stochastic control problem. Hodges and Neuberger [1989. Optimal replication of contingent claims under transactions costs. Review of Futures Markets 8, 222–239] introduced an approach that is based on maximization of the expected utility of terminal wealth. We develop a new algorithm to solve the corresponding singular stochastic control problem and introduce a new approach to option hedging which is closer in spirit to the pathwise replication of Black and Scholes [1973. The pricing of options and corporate liabilities. Journal of Political Economy 81, 637–654]. This new approach is based on minimization of a Black–Scholes-type measure of pathwise risk, defined in terms of a market delta, subject to an upper bound on the hedging cost. We provide an efficient backward induction algorithm for the problem of cost-constrained risk minimization, whose associated singular stochastic control problem is shown to be equivalent to an optimal stopping problem. This algorithm is then modified to solve the singular stochastic control problem associated with utility maximization, which cannot be reduced to an optimal stopping problem. We propose to choose an optimal parameter (risk-aversion coefficient or Lagrange multiplier) in either approach by minimizing the mean squared hedging error and demonstrate that with this “best” choice of the parameter, both approaches have similar performance. We also discuss the different notions of risk in both approaches and propose a volatility adjustment for the risk-minimization approach, which is analogous to that introduced by Zakamouline [2006. European option pricing and hedging with both fixed and proportional transaction costs. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 30, 1–25] for the utility maximization approach, thereby providing a unified treatment of both approaches.     

Finite project life and uncertainty effects on investment

This paper revisits the important result of the real options approach to investment under uncertainty, which states that increased uncertainty raises the value of waiting and thus decelerates investment. Typically in this literature projects are assumed to be perpetual. However, in today's economy firms face a fast-changing technology environment, implying that investment projects are usually considered to have a finite life. The present paper studies investment projects with finite project life, and we find that, in contrast with the existing theory, investments may be accelerated by increased uncertainty. It is shown that this particularly happens at low levels of uncertainty and when project life is short.     

Optimal R&D investment for a risk-averse entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs investing in R&D projects face technical uncertainty associated with the cost to completion of the project, which is idiosyncratic and inherently unhedgeable. We extend existing real options models of R&D investment to incorporate the cost of bearing this unhedgeable risk and find it decreases risk-averse entrepreneurs’ valuations of R&D projects and increases the minimum NPVs required for continued investment in R&D (threshold NPVs) relative to ‘unpriced risk’ values and threshold NPVs. As in the ‘unpriced risk’ case, for less risk-averse entrepreneurs with small R&D projects, threshold NPVs remain negative and decrease with technical uncertainty. However, for sufficiently risk-averse entrepreneurs with sufficiently large R&D projects, threshold NPVs can become positive and increase with technical uncertainty.     

Unique induced preference representations

Machina [Machina, M.J., 1984. Temporal risk and the nature of induced preferences. Journal of Economic Theory 33, 199–231] considers an individual who has to choose from a set of alternative temporal uncertain prospects, and must take an action before the uncertainty is resolved, seeking to maximize the expected value of an (action determined) von Neumann-Morgenstern utility index. It is natural to ask if the set of underlying von Neumann-Morgenstern utility indices can be uniquely recovered solely on the basis of the thus induced (ordinal) preferences over temporal prospects. Machina’s conclusion is that “ordinal preferences alone will not suffice.” However, we show that it is possible to recover the action–utility set inducing the preferences uniquely if we restrict attention to action–utility sets for which no two actions induce the same preference relation on the space of temporal prospects, no action is redundant, and no action leads to a risk free outcome.     

基于实物期权理论的新能源汽车技术项目经济评价

新能源汽车技术项目是具有很大的不确定性,此项目不易评估,而传统的折现现金流法又不能满足新能源汽车技术项目的要求。因此,本文引入实物期权方法来评估该项目,增加了投资决策的合理性和可信任性。利用实物期权方法可以对不确定性进行分析,减少风险的同时,增加该项目的战略价值。     

汇率和需求不确定下跨国投资决策的实物期权分析

在对实物期权理论和跨国投资相关文献研究基础上,分析企业在汇率和需求不确定条件下跨国投资的风险和期权特征,构建了基于实物期权思想的跨国投资决策模型。通过数值求解,分析了跨国投资情况下,企业拥有的实物期权价值。     

复合期权模型在矿业工程投资决策中的应用

本文介绍了复合期权的基本概念及国内外研究情况,就复合期权理论在矿业工程投资决策中的应用进行了探讨,采用geske模型并结合实例对此进行了验证。研究表明,运用复合期权理论进行矿业工程投资决策,在某种程度上能更好地反映不确定性和管理灵活性的价值。     

实物期权在投资决策中的运用

本文通过引入实物期权的思想为投资决策评价,运用布莱克—舒尔斯和二叉树期权定价模型,给战略投资隐含的实物期权定价,使用蒙特卡罗方法来消除关键因素的不确定带来的影响。     

Valuation of R&D investment under technological,market, and rival preemption uncertainty

We develop a real options model for evaluating and optimizing a research and development (R&D) project. The model captures key features of R&D, including research duration, growth opportunity, debt financing, and uncertainty of technology, demand market, and rival preemption. In the model, we unveil the interactions of key R&D features. The effect of duration on investment depends on whether there is rival preemption. Higher uncertainty of research duration speeds up investment in the presence of rival preemption. Higher uncertainty of technological success, combined with a growth opportunity, accelerates investment. Debt financing greatly decreases time lag between the first stage project and growth project.