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Variable Factor Shares and the Index Number Problem: A Generalization

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  • Brad Sturgill
  • Hernando Zuleta

Abstract

Factor shares vary over time and across countries, so incorporating variable factor shares into growth and development accounting is both warranted and desirable. However, variable factor shares create an index number problem in analyses relying on our most commonly used production functions. We show that in the presence of competitive factor markets, the problem exists for all workhorse production functions exhibiting constant returns to scale. Therefore, any efforts to align empirical growth research with the reality of the factor share data cannot be carried out using standard techniques. New techniques need to be developed.

Suggested Citation

  • Brad Sturgill & Hernando Zuleta, 2016. "Variable Factor Shares and the Index Number Problem: A Generalization," Documentos CEDE 15038, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000089:015038
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Pierre Barral & Mehdi Senouci, 2018. "Walking on two legs: Growth accounting with labor-saving and capital-saving technical change," Post-Print hal-01709599, HAL.
    2. Antonelli, Cristiano & Feder, Christophe & Quatraro, Francesco, 2018. "Directed Technological Change and Technological Congruence: A New Framework for the Smart Specialization Strategy," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201805, University of Turin.
    3. Pierre Barral & Mehdi Senouci, 2018. "Walking on two legs: Growth accounting with labor-saving and capital-saving technical change," Working Papers hal-01709599, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Factor Shares; Growth Accounting; Production Function; Index Numbers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • E01 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth; Environmental Accounts
    • E25 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Aggregate Factor Income Distribution

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