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Capital-labor Substitution and Endogenous Fluctuations: a Monopolistic Competition Approach with Variable Mark-up

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  • Thomas Seegmuller

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

Abstract

In macroeconomics, economists introduce most frequently imperfect competition on product markets using the Dixit and Stiglitz (1977) monopolistic competition model. However, by assumption, this framework ignores one important feature of imperfect competition: strategic interactions between producers. Taking into account this remark and following Yang and Hejdra (1993), this paper analyzes an overlapping generations model where strategic interactions between producers are introduced and examines how they affect the stability properties of the steady state. Because of free entry, strategic interactions between producers imply a new dynamic feature, mark-up variability, promoting indeterminacy and endogenous cycles. Indeed, in contrast to the model without strategic interaction, endogenous fluctuations can occur when the substitution between the production factors, capital and labor, is not too weak, but in accordance with empirical estimates.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Seegmuller, 2009. "Capital-labor Substitution and Endogenous Fluctuations: a Monopolistic Competition Approach with Variable Mark-up," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00194292, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:cesptp:halshs-00194292
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5876.2008.00452.x
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00194292
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Seegmuller, Thomas, 2008. "Taste For Variety And Endogenous Fluctuations In A Monopolistic Competition Model," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(4), pages 561-577, September.
    4. Kemnitz, Alexander & Knoblach, Michael, 2020. "Endogenous sigma-augmenting technological change: An R&D-based approach," CEPIE Working Papers 02/20, Technische Universität Dresden, Center of Public and International Economics (CEPIE).

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