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Money, unit of account, and nominal rigidity

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  • Kim, Young Sik
  • Lee, Manjong

Abstract

In order to characterize the properties required to fulfill the roles of money as a unit of account (UoA) as well as a medium of exchange (MoE), we consider the choice of a UoA in the context of a micro-founded model where inflation uncertainty exists and some conversion cost is incurred in using a UoA that is different from an MoE. We show that it is not the level of inflation but its volatility that matters for the choice of a UoA. In the presence of inflation uncertainty, money can still become both an MoE and a UoA as long as the conversion cost is higher than its maximum buyers are willing to bear for ensuring stable consumption against inflation uncertainty. Also, the choice of a UoA in the presence of fiat money as an MoE determines endogenously the nominal price rigidity or flexibility. An economy adopting money as a UoA yields the short-run nominal rigidity and the Phillips-curve relationship.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim, Young Sik & Lee, Manjong, 2017. "Money, unit of account, and nominal rigidity," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 59-63.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:160:y:2017:i:c:p:59-63
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2017.08.008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Medium of exchange; Inflation uncertainty; Rigidity; Unit of account;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • E40 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - General
    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System

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