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Markup Pricing and Monetary Policy: A Reexamination of the Effectiveness of Monetary Policy under Imperfect Competition

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  • Baba, Naohiko

    (Bank of Japan)

Abstract

If markup ratios fluctuate widely, so does output volume and investment. This magnifies the business cycle and increases uncertainty about future economic conditions. This paper investigates the implication for monetary policy by analyzing markup ratios. The main conclusions are (1) as a result of the failure of Japanese firms to fully adjust their prices to exogenous shocks, markup ratios sometimes greatly deviate from trend lines. (2) According to the menu-cost theorem, the existence of costs associated with price changes prevents firms from changing prices to the level consistent with marginal costs, thus reducing social welfare. In this regard, establishing a money supply rule under which monetary authorities accommodate exogenous shocks provides an incentive for firms to change their prices. (3) Markup pricing magnifies the social welfare cost of inflation. In this argument, monetary authorities have the optimal choice of tightening monetary policy even under low inflation, if they observe that markup ratios have remained high.

Suggested Citation

  • Baba, Naohiko, 1997. "Markup Pricing and Monetary Policy: A Reexamination of the Effectiveness of Monetary Policy under Imperfect Competition," Monetary and Economic Studies, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan, vol. 15(1), pages 27-62, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:ime:imemes:v:15:y:1997:i:1:p:27-62
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    File URL: http://www.imes.boj.or.jp/research/papers/english/me15-1-2.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Nicolas Canry & Julien Fouquau & Sébastien Lechevalier, 2010. "Price Dynamics In Japan (1981-2001): A Structural Analysis Of Mechanisms In The Goods And Labor Markets," Brussels Economic Review, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles, vol. 53(3/4), pages 357-374.
    2. Ripatti, Antti, 1997. "Inflation targeting and the role of money in a model with sticky prices and sticky money," Bank of Finland Research Discussion Papers 17/1997, Bank of Finland.
    3. Ahmadi-Javid, Amir & Hoseinpour, Pooya, 2015. "A location-inventory-pricing model in a supply chain distribution network with price-sensitive demands and inventory-capacity constraints," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 238-255.
    4. Markus Pasche, 1997. "Markup Pricing and Demand Uncertainty," Working Paper Series B 1997-08, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, School of of Economics and Business Administration, revised 01 Jun 1998.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation

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