基于嵌套CES生产函数的多要素Morishima替代弹性估计

研究目标：构建一个包含资本、技能劳动力和非技能劳动力的多要素CES生产函数,给出了该生产函数下不同要素间的Morishima替代弹性的系统估计方法。研究方法：利用来自于WIOD-SEA数据库的中国制造业行业数据以及本文提出的估计方法,估算了中国制造业行业技能劳动力、非技能劳动力和资本三种要素之间的Morishima替代弹性,并分析了要素间的Morishima替代弹性对不同要素间收入份额的影响。研究发现：各行业技能劳动力与非技能劳动力之间的Morishima替代弹性亦即Hicks替代弹性均大于1,而资本对技能劳动力和非技能劳动力的Morishima替代弹性亦即Hicks替代弹性呈现异质特征,但技能劳动力和非技能劳动力对资本的Morishima替代弹性是大于1的。研究创新：将Klump等（2007）提出的“标准化供给面系统”引入到嵌套CES生产函数中,提出一种估算多要素Morishima替代弹性的系统估计方法。研究价值：可以分析要素替代弹性对技能溢价的影响,同时也可以分析劳动力与资本的收入份额问题。     

中国工业行业资本-劳动替代弹性估计及影响因素研究

基于超越对数生产函数的随机前沿模型估计2001—2015年中国工业行业的资本-劳动替代弹性,并对其影响因素进行分析,结果表明：劳动密集型行业的资本-劳动替代弹性普遍高于技术密集型行业,而后者又普遍高于资本密集型行业;行业开放程度、研发密度、产权属性、资本-劳动比、资产负债率、《劳动合同法》实施以及金融危机等因素都会影响资本-劳动替代弹性。     

一种新的考虑全要素生产率的成本函数估计法

研究目标：探索全要素生产率异质性对成本函数模型估计的影响。研究方法：简要归纳出各类成本函数族和基于半参数法的生产函数改良思路,将以往用于生产函数估计的Olley-Pakes（OP法）运用到成本函数估计中,构建了一个基于半参数估计的成本函数计量模型。研究发现：通过与最小二乘法、固定效应、随机前沿的回归结果对比发现,OP法用于估计成本函数能够在一定程度上控制同步性问题以及样本选择偏差问题,并能测算与分解企业间异质的全要素生产率。研究创新：通过改良成本函数估计方法以控制全要素生产率的异质性和同步性问题。研究价值：对该方法论的探讨有助于成本函数在经济统计、计量经济模型估计、政策效应评估等领域的推广与改良。     

铁路运输成本函数的实证应用

分析确定了在不同研究目的下铁路运输超对数成本函数的广泛适用性;研究了我国铁路客货运输成本函数的变量选择,进一步阐述了运输成本函数在铁路经济问题研究中的实证应用,通过分析规模经济和范围经济以确定垄断经营和客货运分离,通过分析引入竞争的福利影响来确定垄断经营与引入竞争决策选择的平衡点,通过分析要素价格弹性和替代弹性确定对铁路成本影响重大的要素及替代方案等。     

中国工业部门的能源价格扭曲与要素替代研究

针对以往关于中国能源替代问题的研究未考虑价格扭曲因素的不足,本文以超对数成本函数为基础,对中国工业部门要素价格扭曲进行测度,并计算要素自价格弹性及要素间替代弹性。研究发现,能源的相对价格存在严重扭曲;能源自价格弹性在2004年前为正,其原因是价格管制与市场不完善阻碍了其调节功能的发挥;资本与能源间并不存在确定的替代关系,劳动与能源间在近期表现为替代关系,而其他投入与能源间表现为互补关系。本文最后根据实证研究结果提出三点政策建议。     

中国工业部门的能源替代研究——基于对ALLEN替代弹性模型的修正

本文针对以往用于估计要素替代率的经济模型存在的不足,以超对数成本函数和不变替代弹性为基础,把MES模型与技术进步和产出效应结合起来,首次估算了中国工业部门能源与资本及劳动之间的绝对替代弹性和净替代弹性(相对替代率),发现劳动与能源之间存在明显的替代关系,而资本与能源之间的替代关系呈现不确定性,即资本与能源之间呈现间或的互补关系。此外,实证研究还发现技术进步和产出效应在过去的近30年中促进了劳动对能源的替代。本文最后根据实证研究,对中国工业部门的能源中长期发展战略提出相关政策建议。     

我国技术创新活动的集聚效应分析

本文使用超越对数生产函数—反要素需求函数分析框架,研究了集聚经济对于我国技术创新活动全要素生产率、单要素生产率、要素价格以及要素需求的影响。结果显示,无论是在全国层面还是在区域层面,集聚经济对于我国技术创新的全要素生产率均有显著的正向作用。同时,集聚经济对于技术创新活动劳动生产率以及资本生产率没有显著影响。在区域层面,集聚经济将降低科技劳动的边际成本,同时提高对于科技劳动的需求。     

中国经济增长动力分解：有偏技术进步与要素投入增长

研究目标：从有偏技术进步和要素投入增长视角分解中国经济增长动力。研究方法：基于标准化供给面系统方法对中国1978~2015年的要素增强型CES生产函数进行估计,并扩展Solow增长核算方程重构中国经济增长动力分解框架。研究发现：国内研究在技术进步偏向识别、生产函数参数设定及估计方法应用方面存在部分偏误;修正偏误后本文发现考察期内有偏技术进步对于中国经济增长的动力支持总体强于要素投入增长,且有偏技术进步和要素投入增长内部发生了明显的动力转换;中国经济增速近期下滑主要由资本增强型技术进步减缓、资本累积速度下降和人口红利消失引致。研究创新：基于多种要素替代关系、市场假设和技术进步率框架,对中国要素替代弹性、有偏技术进步进行全面再评估,通过打开技术进步率的“黑箱”进一步分解中国经济增长动力。研究价值：为有偏技术进步识别和经济增长动力分解提供可靠框架。     

技术进步偏向定义及其测度

本文基于CES生产函数,从技术进步偏向的定义出发,概念上厘清增强型、偏向型、节约型技术进步的区别和联系,比较希克斯偏向型技术进步和哈罗德技术进步的异同点,并利用中国1978-2008年的时间序列数据估算要素替代弹性、要素增强型技术进步和偏向型技术进步。结果表明：资本与劳动的替代弹性小于1,技术进步方向总体上是资本偏向型的。研究说明选择怎样的技术进步偏向和速度对于中国至关重要,它是增长与分配的平衡器。     

关于中国资本存量估计的一些问题

一、导言 目前,有关中国经济发展的全要素生产率研究很多,并引起了一些有趣的讨论(参见谢千里等人,1995)。在这一领域里乔根森及其合作者所发展的全要素生产率的分析方法代表了目前国际上这一研究领域的前沿成果。其特点是超越对数生产函数及其对应的超越对数指     

CES and Translog parameter estimates in a SAM-based regional general equilibrium framework

The computation of General Equilibrium models crucially depends on Social Accounting Matrix (SAM)-based calibration and on how estimation/imputation are performed to reproduce the benchmark dataset as an equilibrium solution. In this paper, theoretical contributions are provided by suggesting a new procedure in which the production function parameters and the elasticity of substitution are estimated by resorting to the data contained in the SAM. To this aim, the Generalized Cross-Entropy estimator is used. Application of this self-contained procedure to the regional SAM for the Italian region Tuscany leads to empirical results consisting of the estimates of the elasticities of substitution of Constant Elasticity of Substitution and Translog production functions consistent with the theoretical background. This yields a more efficient and effective solution of Computable General Equilibrium models.     

Alternative functional forms for production,cost and returns to scale functions

We consider generalized production functions, introduced in Zellner and Revankar (1969), for output y=g(f) where g is a monotonic function and f is a homogeneous production function. For various choices of the scale elasticity or returns to scale as a function of output, differential equations are solved to determine the associated forms of the monotonic transformation, g(f). Then by choice of the form of f, the elasticity of substitution, constant or variable, is determined. In this way, we have produced and generalized a number of homothetic production functions, some already in the literature. Also, we have derived and studied their associated cost functions to determine how their shapes are affected by various choices of the scale elasticity and substitution elasticity functions. In general, we require that the returns to scale function be a monotonically decreasing function of output and that associated average cost functions be U- or L-shaped with a unique minimum. We also represent production functions in polar coordinates and show how this representation simplifies study of production functions' properties. Using data for the US transportation equipment industry, maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods are employed to estimate many different generalized production functions and their associated average cost functions. In accord with results in the literature, it is found that the scale elasticities decline with output and that average cost curves are U- or L-shaped with unique minima. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Production Technology Estimates and Balanced Growth

Capital‐labour substitution and total factor productivity (TFP) estimates are essential features of many economic models. Such models typically embody a balanced growth path. This often leads researchers to estimate models imposing stringent prior choices on technical change. We demonstrate that estimation of the substitution elasticity and TFP growth can be substantially biased if technical progress is thereby mis‐specified. We obtain analytical and simulation results in the context of a model consistent with balanced and near‐balanced growth (i.e. departures from balanced growth but broadly stable factor shares). Given this evidence, a constant elasticity of substitution production function system is then estimated for the US economy. Results show that the estimated substitution elasticity tends to be significantly lower using a factor‐augmenting specification (well below one). We are also able to reject conventional neutrality forms in favour of general factor augmentation with a non‐negligible capital‐augmenting component. Our work thus provides insights into production and supply‐side estimation in balanced‐growth frameworks.     

Variable elasticity of substitution in urban housing production

The notion that the elasticity of substitution in urban housing production should vary with changing intensities of land use seems to be realistic and theoretically viable. Hence the variable elasticity of substitution production function has been proposed by some authors. However, it suffers from a serious shortcoming that the elasticity of substitution should not exceed unity. To allow for flexibility in the range of the elasticity of substitution, we explore a general functional form for the housing production function, the weak disposability of inputs production function in particular. Our empirical findings, based on the Santa Clara County single-family housing data, provide evidence that this general function is a more accurate specification of urban housing production than the variable elasticity of substitution function.     

CES technology and business cycle fluctuations

We contribute to an emerging literature that brings the constant elasticity of substitution (CES) specification of the production function into the analysis of business cycle fluctuations. Using US data, we estimate by Bayesian-Maximum-Likelihood methods a standard medium-sized DSGE model with a CES rather than Cobb–Douglas (CD) technology. We estimate a elasticity of substitution between capital and labour well below unity at 0.15–0.18. In a marginal likelihood race CES decisively beats the CD production and this is matched by its ability to fit the data better in terms of second moments. We show that this result is mainly driven by the implied fluctuations of factor shares under the CES specification. The CES model performance is further improved when the estimation is carried out under an imperfect information assumption. Hence the main message for DSGE models is that we should dismiss once and for all the use of CD for business cycle analysis.     

The industrial demand for energy

This paper uses a constant elasticity of substitution production function to examine the extent of factor substitutability in the production of industrial goods. Subsequently, the degree of interfuel substitution is estimated and it is demonstrated that all energy sources are substitutable. Finally, the stability of the demand for various energy sources is empirically tested for and it is concluded that over the period of investigation the demand has in fact remained unaltered.     

Energy consumption and economic growth

The present paper discusses methods originally proposed by Adams and Miovic in 1968 (then refined and used later by many other authors) for calculating the output elasticity of useful energy consumption (?). We first show that this methodological approach is quite dubious. Better alternative methods of estimation are then proposed. We also stress that, since the marginal rate of interfuel substitution depends on the GDP functional form, the simulataneous use of several functional forms of GDP in energy studies leads obviously to misleading interpretations. Using thermal efficiency coefficients and OECD countries figures for the 1959–73 period, we finally found that ? did steadily fall from high values to values which are still higher than one.     

Separability test for the electricity supply industry

This paper examines the vertical integration issue of the electricity industry. This industry is typically vertically integrated and heavily regulated. The paper investigates the potential technological efficiency loss due to the vertical disintegration using the translog production function. Three separability hypotheses using the Allen-Uzawa elasticity of substitution are tested to examine the feasibility of various degrees of disintegration of the current industry structure. All three separability hypotheses are rejected, and the cost of disintegration is estimated. Further, estimates indicate that the electricity industry appears to have exhausted economies of scale. Unlike other deregulated industries, disintegration of the electricity industry will entail technological efficiency loss.     

The elasticity of substitution for land: The effects of measurement errors

The explanatory variable used in most previous studies of land-nonland substitution, assessed or appraised land value, is subject to considerable measurement error. There is evidence that this biases the substitution elasticity from a true value of unity to a measured value in the 0.5 to 0.8 range. An hedonic method of measuring land value is proposed and applied to the Chicago residential sales data developed by Berry and Bednarz. Substitution elasticities are estimated within a CES framework from the two measures of land value; after correction for a vintage effect, appraised land value indicates that the elasticity is 0.57 whereas the hedonic measure of land values supports a unitary substitution elasticity. Therefore, the errors-in-variables hypothesis is confirmed and the use of a Cobb- Douglas production function is suggested.