This paper is concerned with the modern theory of social cost-bene.t analysis in
a dynamic economy. The theory emphasizes the role of a comprehensive, forward-
looking, dynamic welfare index within the period of the project rather than that
of a project.s long-term consequences. However, what constitutes such a welfare
index remains controversial in the recent literature. In this paper, we attempt to
shed light on the issue by deriving three equivalent cost-bene.t rules for evaluating a
small project. In particular, we show that the direct change in net national product
(NNP) quali.es as a convenient welfare index without involving any other induced
side e¤ects. The project evaluation criterion thus becomes the present discounted
value of the direct changes in NNP over the project period. We also illustrate the
application of this theory in a few stylized examples.
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Paper provided by Umeå University, Department of Economics in its series Umeå Economic Studies with number
613.
Length: 19 pages Date of creation: 15 Sep 2003 Date of revision:
04 Dec 2006 Handle: RePEc:hhs:umnees:0613
Contact details of provider: Postal: Department of Economics, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden Phone: 090 - 786 61 42 Fax: 090 - 77 23 02 Email: Web page: http://www.econ.umu.se/ More information through EDIRC
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Find related papers by JEL classification: D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis
References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
Dreze, Jean & Stern, Nicholas, 1987.
"The theory of cost-benefit analysis,"
Handbook of Public Economics,
in: A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), Handbook of Public Economics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 14, pages 909-989
Elsevier.
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