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Monetary policy when wages are downwardly rigid: Friedman meets Tobin

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Listed author(s):
  • Kim, Jinill
  • Ruge-Murcia, Francisco J.

Abstract

Monetary policy in an economy with both downwardly rigid wages and a transaction motive for money demand is studied using a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model. The two key features of the model imply that both Tobin's “inflation grease” argument and Friedman's rule are operative, and so optimal inflation may be positive or negative. The Simulated Method of Moments is used to estimate the nonlinear model based on its second-order approximation. Results indicate that the Ramsey policy that maximizes social welfare involves an average inflation rate of about 0.4% per year. In the more realistic case where a central banker follows a simple targeting policy, the optimal inflation target is about 1% per year. We view this result as providing support for the low, but strictly positive, inflation targets used in many countries.

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Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control.

Volume (Year): 35 (2011)
Issue (Month): 12 ()
Pages: 2064-2077

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Handle: RePEc:eee:dyncon:v:35:y:2011:i:12:p:2064-2077
DOI: 10.1016/j.jedc.2011.08.002
Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jedc

Keywords: Downward nominal wage rigidity; Asymmetric effects of monetary policy; Optimal inflation; Nonlinear dynamics;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • E4 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates
  • E5 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit

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Cited by:

  1. Franke, Reiner & Jang, Tae-Seok & Sacht, Stephen, 2015. "Moment matching versus Bayesian estimation: Backward-looking behaviour in a New-Keynesian baseline model," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 126-154.
  2. Abo-Zaid, Salem, 2013. "Optimal monetary policy and downward nominal wage rigidity in frictional labor markets," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 345-364.
  3. Andrew Binning & Junior Maih, 2015. "Sigma point filters for dynamic nonlinear regime switching models," Working Paper 2015/10, Norges Bank.
  4. Francisco Ruge-Murcia & Jinill Kim, 2017. "Extreme Events and Optimal Monetary Policy," 2017 Meeting Papers 605, Society for Economic Dynamics.
  5. Ahrens, Steffen & Pirschel, Inske & Snower, Dennis J., 2014. "A theory of wage adjustment under loss aversion," Kiel Working Papers 1977, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW).
  6. Franke, Reiner & Jang, Tae-Seok & Sacht, Stephen, 2011. "Moment matching versus Bayesian estimation: Backward-looking behaviour in the new-Keynesian three-equations model," Economics Working Papers 2011,10, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Department of Economics.
  7. Ikeda, Daisuke, 2015. "Optimal inflation rates with the trending relative price of investment," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 20-33.
  8. Caterina Mendicino, 2012. "Collateral Requirements: Macroeconomic Fluctuations and Macro-Prudential Policy," Working Papers w201211, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
  9. Carlsson, Mikael & Westermark, Andreas, 2012. "Labor-Market Frictions and Optimal Inflation," Working Paper Series 259, Sveriges Riksbank (Central Bank of Sweden).
  10. Abo-Zaid, Salem, 2015. "Optimal monetary policy with the cost channel and monopolistically-competitive banks," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 284-299.
  11. Carlsson, Mikael & Westermark, Andreas, 2016. "Labor market frictions and optimal steady-state inflation," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 67-79.

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