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The Calibration of CES Production Functions

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  • Jonathan R. W. Temple

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Abstract

This note addresses some issues that arise when using 'normalized' CES production functions, an approach that has become popular in the literature. The results of Klump and de La Grandville (2000) provide a simple way to calibrate the parameters of the CES production function when the necessary data are available. But some of the other applications of normalized CES production functions appear problematic, especially when used to argue that productivity is increasing in the elasticity of substitution.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan R. W. Temple, 2008. "The Calibration of CES Production Functions," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 08/606, Department of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
    • Handle: RePEc:bri:uobdis:08/606
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    1. de la Grandville,Olivier, 2009. "Economic Growth," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521725200, December.
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    5. de la Grandville,Olivier, 2009. "Economic Growth," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521898010, December.
    6. Miyagiwa, Kaz & Papageorgiou, Chris, 2007. "Endogenous aggregate elasticity of substitution," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 31(9), pages 2899-2919, September.
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    9. Jürgen Antony, 2010. "A class of changing elasticity of substitution production functions," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 100(2), pages 165-183, June.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Stiassny, Alfred & Uhl, Christina, 2014. "Does Elderly Employment have an Impact on Youth Employment? A General Equilibrium Approach," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 4246, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    2. Miguel A León-Ledesma & Peter McAdam & Alpo Willman, 2012. "Non-Balanced Growth and Production Technology Estimation," Studies in Economics 1204, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    3. Jürgen Antony, 2010. "A class of changing elasticity of substitution production functions," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 100(2), pages 165-183, June.
    4. Paul E. Brockway & Matthew K. Heun & João Santos & John R. Barrett, 2017. "Energy-Extended CES Aggregate Production: Current Aspects of Their Specification and Econometric Estimation," Energies, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 10(2), pages 1-23, February.
    5. Alvarez-Cuadrado, Francisco & Long, Ngo Van & Poschke, Markus, 2018. "Capital-labor substitution, structural change and the labor income share," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 206-231.
    6. Antony, Jürgen, 2014. "Technical change and the elasticity of factor substitution," Beiträge der Hochschule Pforzheim 147, Pforzheim University.
    7. repec:bri:cmpowp:13/319 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. De Lucia, Caterina & Bartlett, Mark, 2014. "Implementing a biofuel economy in the EU: Lessons from the SUSTOIL project and future perspectives for next generation biofuels," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 22-30.
    9. Cantore, C. & Levine, P., 2012. "Getting normalization right: Dealing with ‘dimensional constants’ in macroeconomics," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 1931-1949.
    10. repec:bri:cmpowp:13/322 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Gervas Huxley & Mike Peacey, 2014. "A Simple Model of Learning Styles," The Centre for Market and Public Organisation 14/322, Department of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
    12. Alfred Stiassny & Christina Uhl, 2014. "Does Elderly Employment have an Impact on Youth Employment? A General Equilibrium Approach," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp178, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    13. Jens J. Krüger, 2017. "Revisiting the world technology frontier: a directional distance function approach," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 67-95, March.
    14. Paul E. Brockway & Harry Saunders & Matthew K. Heun & Timothy J. Foxon & Julia K. Steinberger & John R. Barrett & Steve Sorrell, 2017. "Energy Rebound as a Potential Threat to a Low-Carbon Future: Findings from a New Exergy-Based National-Level Rebound Approach," Energies, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 10(1), pages 1-24, January.
    15. Frieling, Julius & Madlener, Reinhard, 2017. "The Turning Tide: How Energy has Driven the Transformation of the British Economy Since the Industrial Revolution," FCN Working Papers 7/2017, E.ON Energy Research Center, Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN).
    16. Gervas Huxley & Mike Peacey, 2014. "An Economic Model of Learning Styles," The Centre for Market and Public Organisation 14/319, Department of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    CES production functions; elasticity of substitution; normalization;

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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