The Adequacy of the Traditional Econometric Approach to Nonlinear Cycles

To show that the traditional econometric approach is not able to deal with deterministic chaos, we use an extension of Goodwin.s growth cycle model to generate arti.cial data for output. An EGARCH model is estimated to describe the data generation process. Although using some traditional econometric tests no evidence of misspeci.- cation is found the estimated process is qualitatively wrong: it is dynamically stable when the true process is unstable. We present a speci.c econometric procedure de- veloped to deal with deterministic chaos: the BDS statistics. Also an explanation for the little evidence of deterministic chaos in aggregated macroeconomic time series is suggested.

The Stability Properties of Goodwin's Growth Cycle Model

It is known that Goodwin.s Predator-Prey model suffers from structural instability. In its pure form the model has a neutral equilibrium. Ploeg (1985) showed that if the hypothesis of fixed proportions technology was relaxed then the equilibrium would become stable. We show here that the equilibrium becomes unstable when some sort of endogenous cyclical labour productivity is considered. Then we will study the consequences of considering both effects concluding that the stabilizing effect of considering a flexible technology is much stronger than the destabilizing effect of endogenizing labour productivity.

Public vs Private Schooling in an Endogenous Growth Model

I present an overlapping generations model, with formal education as the engine of growth, close to Glomm and RaviKumar (1992). Contrary to Glomm and Ravikumar, I Show that public schooling, when compared to a private system, may stimulate economic growth.

OPEC´s Oil Exporting Strategy and Macroeconomic (In)Stability

Aguiar-Conraria and Wen (2008) argued that dependence on foreign oil raises the likelihood of equilibrium indeterminacy (economic instability) for oil importing countries. We argue that this relation is more subtle. The endogenous choices of prices and quantities by a cartel of oil exporters, such as the OPEC, can affect the directions of the changes in the likelihood of equilibrium indeterminacy. We show that fluctuations driven by self-fulfilling expectations under oil shocks are easier to occur if the cartel sets the price of oil, but the result is reversed if the cartel sets the quantity of production. These results offer a potentially interesting explanation for the decline in economic volatility (i.e., the Great Moderation) in oil importing countries since the mid-1980s when the OPEC cartel changed its market strategies from setting prices to setting quantities, despite the fact that oil prices are far more volatile today than they were 30 years ago.

The Continuous Wavelet Transform: A Primer

Wavelet analysis is becoming more popular in the Economics discipline. Until recently, most works have made use of tools associated with the Discrete Wavelet Transform. However, after 2005, there has been a growing body of work in Economics and Finance that makes use of the Continuous Wavelet Transform tools. In this article, we give a self-contained summary on the most relevant theoretical results associated with the Continuous Wavelet Transform, the Cross-Wavelet Transform, the Wavelet Coherency and the Wavelet Phase-Difference. We describe how the transforms are usually implemented in practice and provide some examples. We also introduce the Economists to a new class of analytic wavelets, the Generalized Morse Wavelets, which have some desirable properties and provide an alternative to the Morlet Wavelet. Finally, we provide a user friendly toolbox which will allow any researcher to replicate our results and to use it in his/her own research.Economic cycles; ContinuousWavelet Transform, Cross-Wavelet Transform, Wavelet Coherency, Wavelet Phase-Difference; The Great Moderation.

Understanding the Impact of Oil Shocks

This paper provides new empirical evidence on and theoretical support for the close link between oil prices and aggregate macroeconomic performence in the 1970s. Although this link has been well documented in the empirical literature and is further confirmed in this paper, standard economic models are not able to replicate this link when actual oil prices are used to stimulate the models. In particular, standard models cannot explain the depht of the recession in 1974-75 and the strong revival in 1976-78 based on the oil price movements in that period. This paper argues that a missing multiplier-accelerator mechanism from standard models may hold the key. This multipliplier-accelerator mechanism not only exacerbated the impact of the oil schocks in 1973-74 but also helped create the temporary recovery in 1976-1978. This paper derives the missing multiplier-accelarator mechanism from externalities in general equilibrium. Our calibrated model can explain both the recession in 1974-75 and revival in 1976-78.Oil price shocks, Real business cycle, indeterminacy, capacity utilization, externalities, monopolistic competition.

How quorum rules distort referendum outcomes: evidence from a pivotal voter model

In many jurisdictions, whether referendum results are binding depend on certain legally defined quorum requirements. With a pivotal-voter model, we examine how quorum requirements affect voter’s behavior. We conclude that quorums can be the cause of lower turnout and that they can deliver outcomes that are an inadequate basis to make inferences about collective preferences. We further conclude that quorums may help minorities to impose their will on majorities and that they may create a bias against the status quo. Finally, they generate situations under which the secrecy of the vote is called into question.

Foreign Trade and Equilibrium Indeterminacy

We show that dependence of production on foreign inputs (or non-producible natural resources) can significantly increase the likelihood of indeterminacy. Payment of imported foreign factors of production may act as a semi-fixed cost, amplifying production externalities and returns to scale, making selffulfilling expectations driven busyness cycles easier to arise. This is demonstrated using a standard neoclassical growth model. Calibration exercise shows that the required increasing returns to scale can be reduced by as much as 64% based on estimated share of foreign inputs in production for OECD countries.Indeterminacy, Factor Imports, Natural Resources, Capacity Utilization, Externality, Returns to Scale, Open Economy, Sunspots, Self- Fulfilling Expectations.

Oil Dependence and Economic Instability

We show that dependence on foreign energy can increase economic instability by raising the likelihood of equilibrium indeterminacy, hence making fluctuations driven by self-fulfilling expectations easier to occur. This is demonstrated in a standard neoclassical growth model. Calibration exercises, based on the estimated share of imported energy in production for several countries, show that the degree of reliance on foreign energy for many countries can easily make an otherwise determinate and stable economy indeterminate and unstable.Indeterminacy, Energy Imports, Externality, Returns to Scale, Sunspots, Self-Fulfilling Expectations.

Using cross-wavelets to decompose the time-frequency relation between oil and the macroeconomy

A large body of empirical literature has suggested that oil price shocks have an important effect on economic activity. But in most of the literature the analysis is exclusively done in the time domain. However, interesting relations exist at different frequencies. We use (cross) wavelet analysis to uncover some of these relations, estimating the spectral characteristics of the time-series as a function of time. Our analysis suggests that the volatility of both the inflation rate and the output growth rate started to decrease in the decades of 1950 and 1960, suggesting that the great moderation started then,but that it was temporarily interrupted due to the oils crisis of the 1970s, whose effects extend until the mid 1980s. We also show that while at business cycle frequencies oil prices lead industrial production, in the very long run production increases lead oil price increases. The exception to this long-run relation occurred between the mid 1970s and mid 1980s. Our analysis also suggests that monetary policy became much more eficient after 1980 to deal with the inflationary pressures of oil shocks.Business cycles, time-frequency analysis, non-stationary time series, wavelets, cross wavelets, wavelet coherency.