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On Lumpiness in the Replacement and Expansion of Capital

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  • Wilko Letterie
  • Gerard A. Pfann
  • Sher Verick

Abstract

We estimate a model of homogeneous capital investment with two installation possibilities – replacement and expansion using observations at the establishment level. We find that regime switches identified by ad hoc measures of lumpy investment do not adequately distinguish expansionary from replacement activities. In fact, during periods of expansion, firms spend just as much on replacement capital. Also, using the common 20% rule would not assign a spike to almost 65% of all observations that include expansionary investment in this dataset. Finally, replacement although less responsive to fundamentals than expansions cannot be regarded as an autonomous part of investment.

Suggested Citation

  • Wilko Letterie & Gerard A. Pfann & Sher Verick, 2010. "On Lumpiness in the Replacement and Expansion of Capital," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 72(3), pages 263-281, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:obuest:v:72:y:2010:i:3:p:263-281
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0084.2009.00577.x
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    Cited by:

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    2. Kapelko, Magdalena & Oude Lansink, Alfons & Stefanou, Spiro E., 2015. "Analyzing the impact of investment spikes on dynamic productivity growth," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 116-124.
    3. Silva, Elvira & Lansink, Alfons Oude & Stefanou, Spiro E., 2015. "The adjustment-cost model of the firm: Duality and productive efficiency," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 245-256.
    4. Magambo, Isaiah Hubert & Dikgang, Johane & Gelo, Dambala & Tregenna, Fiona, 2021. "Dynamic Technical and Environmental Efficiency Performance of Large Gold Mines in Developing Countries," EconStor Preprints 235859, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    5. Klepsch, Catharina & Elsas, Ralf, 2016. "How and when do firms adjust their investments toward targets?," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145486, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Martin Falk & Sigbjorn Landazuri Tveteraas, 2020. "Modelling the wider effects of ski lift investments," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 259-274, July.
    7. Elvira Silva & Alfons Oude Lansink, 2013. "Dynamic Efficiency Measurement: A Directional Distance Function Approach," CEF.UP Working Papers 1307, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.

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