A new class of production functions and an argument against purely labor‐augmenting technical change

This paper derives the macro‐level production function from idea‐based microfoundations. Labor‐augmenting and capital‐augmenting developments are assumed to be Pareto‐distributed and mutually dependent. Using the Clayton copula family to capture this dependence, a new “Clayton–Pareto” class of production functions is derived that nests both the Cobb–Douglas and the constant elasticity of substitution. In the most general case, technical change is not purely labor‐augmenting over the long run, but it augments both capital and labor. Under certain parametrizations, the derived elasticity of substitution between capital and labor exceeds unity and, therefore, gives rise to long‐run endogenous growth.     

Financial Student Aid and Enrollment in Higher Education: New Evidence from Germany*

Means‐tested student aid might affect enrollment in higher education. To derive the potential influence of student aid, we use a tax‐benefit microsimulation model. The effect is a non‐linear function of parental income, with variation as a result of bracket creeping and various reforms. Therefore, the effect of student aid on enrollment can be separated from the effects of income and other family characteristics. Using the German Socio‐Economic Panel, we find a small but significant positive effect, similar in size to the effects reported in previous studies for European countries but smaller than in the US.     

The effects of risk preferences in mixed-strategy equilibria of games

We consider the effects of risk preferences in mixed-strategy equilibria of 2×2 games, provided such equilibria exist. We identify sufficient conditions under which the expected payoff in the mixed equilibrium increases or decreases with the degree of risk aversion. We find that (at least moderate degrees of) risk aversion will frequently be beneficial in mixed equilibria.     

Causes of recurrent unemployment—An empirical analysis

Zusammenfassung Die Determinanten erneuter Betroffenheit von Arbeitslosigkeit werden mittels Individualdaten für einen lokalen Arbeitsmarkt über einen Zeitraum von rund drei Jahren untersucht. Dazu wird ein Probit-Modell mit persönlichen Charakteristika der ehemals Arbeitslosen, der individuellen Arbeitsmarktbiographie im Anschluß an Arbeitslosigkeit, einem Arbeitsmarktindikator und der Arbeitslosenunterstützung als erklärenden Variablen spezifiziert. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit erneuter Betroffenheit von Arbeitslosigkeit hängt primär von bestimmten persönlichen Merkmalen ab. Das Verhältnis der Zahl der Arbeitslosen zur Zahl der offenen Stellen auf berufsspezifischen Teilarbeitsmärkten (Stellenandrangszahl) hat nur einen geringen Effekt, die vergangene Arbeitsmarktbiographie übt nur bei den Männern einen statistisch signifikanten Effekt aus. Der Einfluß der Arbeitslosenunterstützung ist weder bei den Männern noch bei den Frauen statistisch signifikant.

---

---

I wish to thank G. Flaig, G. Licht, J. Zweimüller, and an anonymous referee for helpful suggestions. Support from the Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung is gratefully acknowledged. The usual caveats apply.     

Beyond the Linearity Critique: The Knife-edge Assumption of Steady-state Growth

The “linearity critique” of endogenous growth models is presented in a general context of an arbitrary growth model and reassessed. It is argued that presence of linearities is not a valid criterion for rejecting growth models. Existence of exponential/geometrical steady-state growth (i.e. of a balanced growth path with strictly positive growth rates) necessarily requires some knife-edge condition which is not satisfied by typical parameter values. Hence, balanced growth paths are fragile and sensitive to smallest disturbances in parameter values. Adding higher order differential/difference equations to a model does not change the knife-edge character of steady-state growth.     

Caveat! Some unrecognized pitfalls in Census economic data and the Input-Output Accounts

The structure of many consumer goods industries has radically changed over the past several decades as U.S. manufacturers transferred finished goods production offshore. The statistical system used by the economic Censuses and the Input-Output Accounts, based on an earlier industry structure, improperly allocates the sales values and/or margins of these finished goods imports among foreign manufacturers, U.S. manufacturers, U.S. wholesalers and U.S. retailers. Researchers seem unaware that the familiar indexes of economic performance derived from these sources are often distorted and biased in predictable directions. This article illustrates the problem and suggests appropriate changes in the statistical system.     

Poland's Accession to the European Union: Demand for Protection of Selected Sensitive Products

This paper analyses the expected changes in external tariffs and imports in Poland after accession to the European Union. We find that around 14% of all manufacturing commodity groups in the Harmonised System will experience tariff reductions of over 10 percentage points, while for agricultural goods tariff comparisons are complicated by very different tariff systems and may be overrated, since applied tariffs are often lower than those legislated. Based on gravity estimates we also find onlly few relatively narrowly defined commodities will experience import growth rates of above 20%. More widely defined sensitive commodities are subject to much smaller but still important import growth