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Vintage capital theory: Three breakthroughs

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Listed author(s):
  • Raouf Boucekkine

    ()

    (GREQAM - Groupement de Recherche en Économie Quantitative d'Aix-Marseille - ECM - Ecole Centrale de Marseille - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - Université Paul Cézanne - Aix-Marseille 3 - Université de la Méditerranée - Aix-Marseille 2 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • David De La Croix

    ()

    (CORE - Department of Economics - UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain)

  • Omar Licandro

    ()

    (IAE - Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica - UAB - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona [Barcelona])

Abstract

Vintage capital growth models have been at the heart of growth theory in the 60s. This research line collapsed in the late 60s with the so-called embodiment controversy and the technical sophisitication of the vintage models. This paper analyzes the astonishing revival of this literature in the 90s. In particular, it outlines three methodological breakthroughs explaining this resurgence: a growth accounting revolution, taking advantage of the availability of new time series, an optimal control revolution allowing to safely study vintage capital optimal growth models, and a vintage human capital revolution, along with the rise of economic demography, accounting for the vintage structure of human capital similarly to physical capital age structuring. The related literature is surveyed.

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Paper provided by HAL in its series Working Papers with number halshs-00599074.

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Date of creation: 08 Jun 2011
Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00599074
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Keywords: demography; Vintage capital; embodied technical progress; growth accounting; optimal control; endogenous growth; vintage human capital; demography.;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
  • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
  • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis

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Cited by:

  1. Raouf Boucekkine & Bruno De Oliveira Cruz, 2015. "Technological Progress and Investment: A Non-Technical Survey," Working Papers halshs-01145485, HAL.
  2. Mauro Bambi & Cristina Girolami & Salvatore Federico & Fausto Gozzi, 2017. "Generically distributed investments on flexible projects and endogenous growth," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 63(2), pages 521-558, February.
  3. Bichescu, Bogdan & Raturi, Amitabh, 2015. "The antecedents and consequences of plant closing announcements," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 197-210.
  4. Zon, Adriaan van, 2016. "On the optimum timing of the global carbon-transition under conditions of extreme weather-related damages: further green paradoxical results," MERIT Working Papers 010, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
  5. Samaniego, Roberto, 2016. "The Embodiment Controversy: on the Policy Implications of Vintage Capital models," MPRA Paper 73348, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  6. Schröder, Philipp J.H. & Sørensen, Allan, 2012. "Firm exit, technological progress and trade," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(3), pages 579-591.
  7. Wojciech Szewczyk & Anna Sabadash, 2013. "Macroeconomic Modelling of Public Expenditures on Research and Development in Information and Communication Technologies," JRC Working Papers JRC82943, Joint Research Centre (Seville site).
  8. Mauro Bambi & Cristina Di Girolami & Salvatore Federico & Fausto Gozzi, 2014. "On the Consequences of Generically Distributed Investments on Flexible Projects in an Endogenous Growth Model," Discussion Papers 14/15, Department of Economics, University of York.

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