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Calm after the storm? Supply-side contributions to New Zealand's GDP volatility decline

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  • Robert Buckle
  • David Haugh
  • Peter Thomson

Abstract

The variance of New Zealand's real GDP has fallen by a third since the mid 1980s. Decomposing the variance of chain-weighted estimates of production-based real GDP growth since 1977 into sector shares, sector growth rate variances and co-variances, this paper concludes that the principal reason for the decline in GDP volatility is a fall in the sum of sector variances. This is due to declining variances for Services and Manufacturing production growth. Sector co-variances have had a dominant influence on the profile of GDP volatility and this influence has not diminished. Despite marked changes in sector shares, notably increases in Services and Primary sector shares and a decrease in the share of Manufacturing, this has not been a factor influencing the decline in GDP volatility. We postulate that policy interventions such as “Think Big”, regulatory interventions during the early 1980s, and the introduction of GST are key explanations for the higher volatility until the mid 1980s. Cessation of these policy interventions and responses to deregulation of several Services and Manufacturing industries after the mid 1980s appear to be important factors contributing to the decline in New Zealand GDP volatility since the mid 1980s.

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  • Robert Buckle & David Haugh & Peter Thomson, 2003. "Calm after the storm? Supply-side contributions to New Zealand's GDP volatility decline," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 217-243.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:nzecpp:v:37:y:2003:i:2:p:217-243
    DOI: 10.1080/00779950309544385
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    Cited by:

    1. Edda Claus & Iris Claus, 2005. "New Zealand'S Economic Reforms And Changing Production Structure," CAMA Working Papers 2005-16, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    2. Li, Kui-Wai & Kwok, Ming-Lok, 2009. "Output volatility of five crisis-affected East Asia economies," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 172-182, March.
    3. Buch Claudia M. & Pierdzioch Christian & Doepke Joerg, 2004. "Business Cycle Volatility in Germany," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 5(4), pages 451-479, December.
    4. Melleny Black & Melody Guy & Nathan McLellan, 2003. "Productivity in New Zealand 1988 to 2002," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(1), pages 119-150.
    5. H. Badinger, 2009. "Fiscal rules, discretionary fiscal policy and macroeconomic stability: an empirical assessment for OECD countries," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(7), pages 829-847.
    6. Grimes, Arthur, 2006. "A smooth ride: Terms of trade, volatility and GDP growth," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 583-600, October.
    7. H.-J. Engelbrecht & V. Xayavong, 2007. "The Elusive Contribution Of Ict To Productivity Growth In New Zealand: Evidence From An Extended Industry-Level Growth Accounting Model," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(4), pages 255-275.
    8. Mihai Paunica & Alexandru Manole & Catalina Motofei & Gabriela-Lidia Tanase, 2021. "Resilience of the European Union Economies. An Analysis of the Granger Causality at the Level of the Gross Domestic Product," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(Special15), pages 914-914, November.
    9. Peter Mawson, 2002. "Measuring Economic Growth in New Zealand," Treasury Working Paper Series 02/14, New Zealand Treasury.
    10. Iris Claus, 2003. "Changes in New Zealand's Production Structure: An Input Output Analysis," Treasury Working Paper Series 03/01, New Zealand Treasury.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • L6 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing

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