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Measuring macroeconomic performance through a non-parametric Taylor curve

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Abstract

Recently, frontier techniques have been utilised in the measurement of countries' macroeconomic performance by constructing a "production set" where the outputs are some macroeconomic indicators, while the inputs collapse to a unit scalar. In the present study, a different approach is proposed. The trade-off between the variability of inflation and of the level of activity (often defined as the Taylor Curve) is posited as the relevant policy frontier. This frontier is estimated through non-parametric techniques on a sample of 19 OECD countries during the 1960-99 period. There seems to be a definite role for cost-shocks, as well as for some supply-side characteristics, in shifting the variability trade-off. Also, the relative shadow price of the variability of inflation increases over time. Countries appear on the whole to have become slightly more efficient, but their performance has worsened, because the frontier has shifted upwards.

Suggested Citation

  • Sergio Destefanis, 2003. "Measuring macroeconomic performance through a non-parametric Taylor curve," CSEF Working Papers 95, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:sef:csefwp:95
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    1. Mohanty, Ranjan Kumar & Sahoo, Biresh K., 2017. "Examining the Eco-Macroeconomic Performance Index of India: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach," Working Papers 17/202, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    inflation-output variability trade-off; labour market rigidities; policy efficiency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J65 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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