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Factor utilization and margins for adjusting output: evidence from manufacturing plants

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  • Joe P. Mattey
  • Steven Strongin

Abstract

This paper describes patterns of factor utilization and output adjustment at the plant level for a wide range of manufacturing industries. We explain why manufacturing plants may differ quite a bit in how they accomplish output adjustments, depending on shutdown cost aspects of technology. Assembly-type operations with low shutdown costs would primarily vary the work period of the plant, whereas continuous processing plants with large shutdown costs would adjust instantaneous flow rates of production. For larger output increases, a lengthening of the work period by assemblers would entail employment changes, whereas continuous processors would be more apt to relax physical capital constraints. We use micro survey data on the organization of actual and capacity plant operations to describe the observed patterns of adjustment in individual manufacturing industries and find substantial heterogeneity across industries. For manufacturing as a whole, the work-week appears to be a significant margin of adjustment.

Suggested Citation

  • Joe P. Mattey & Steven Strongin, 1997. "Factor utilization and margins for adjusting output: evidence from manufacturing plants," Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, pages 3-17.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedfer:y:1997:p:3-17:n:2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. ARATA Yoshiyuki, 2015. "Endogenous Business Cycles Caused by Nonconvex Costs and Interactions," Discussion papers 15085, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    2. Daniel Ryan, 2000. "Fluctuations in productivity growth rates and input utilization in U.S. manufacturing," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 28(2), pages 150-163, June.
    3. Cette Gilbert & Lecat Rémy & Ahmed Jiddou Ahmed Ould, 2016. "How do firms adjust production factors to the cycle?," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 16(2), pages 361-394, June.
    4. Engelhardt Lucas M., 2014. "Inventories, business cycles, and variable capital utilization," Studies in Nonlinear Dynamics & Econometrics, De Gruyter, vol. 18(3), pages 1-18, May.
    5. Michalis Nikiforos, 2021. "Notes on the accumulation and utilization of capital: Some empirical issues," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(4), pages 679-695, November.
    6. Humphreys, Brad R., 2001. "The behavior of manufacturers inventories: Evidence from US industry level data," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(1-3), pages 9-20, May.
    7. Sustek, Roman, 2009. "Nonconvex Margins of Output Adjustment and Aggregate Fluctuations," MPRA Paper 17486, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Marlon R. Tracey & Solomon W. Polachek, 2020. "Heterogeneous Layoff Effects of the US Short‐Time Compensation Program," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 34(4), pages 399-426, December.
    9. Michalis Nikiforos, 2020. "Notes on the Accumulation and Utilization of Capital: Some Empirical Issues," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_953, Levy Economics Institute.
    10. Yoshiyuki Arata, 2017. "Endogenous business cycles caused by nonconvex costs and interactions," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 12(2), pages 367-391, July.
    11. Šustek, Roman, 2011. "Plant-level nonconvex output adjustment and aggregate fluctuations," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(4), pages 400-414.
    12. Andreas Hornstein, 2002. "Towards a theory of capacity utilization: shiftwork and the workweek of capital," Economic Quarterly, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, issue Spr, pages 65-86.
    13. Michalis Nikiforos, 2019. "On the "Utilization Controversy": A Rejoinder and Some Comments," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_940, Levy Economics Institute.
    14. Villa Stefania, 2012. "Capital Utilization and the Amplification Mechanism," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, September.

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