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Dispersion Over The Business Cycle:Passthrough,Productivity, And Demand

Author

Listed:
  • Carlsson, Mikael

    (Uppsala University)

  • Clymo, Alex

    (University of Essex)

  • Joslin, Knut-Eric

    (Kristiania University College)

Abstract

We characterize the dispersion of firm-level productivity and demand shocks using Swedish microdata including prices and utilization and analyse the consequences for firms and the aggregate economy. Demand dispersion increases by more than TFPQ dispersion in recessions. Productivity shocks pass through incompletely to prices and have limited effect on sales dispersion. Demand shocks explain most of the variation in sales dispersion. In a heterogeneousfirm model matching the micro facts, demand dispersion has unambiguously negative effects on output via a “wait and see” channel. Productivity dispersion does not generate “wait and see” effects, but affects output negatively by inducing markup dispersion.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlsson, Mikael & Clymo, Alex & Joslin, Knut-Eric, 2022. "Dispersion Over The Business Cycle:Passthrough,Productivity, And Demand," Working Paper Series 414, Sveriges Riksbank (Central Bank of Sweden).
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:rbnkwp:0414
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mikael Carlsson & Oskar Nordstrom Skans, 2012. "Evaluating Microfoundations for Aggregate Price Rigidities: Evidence from Matched Firm-Level Data on Product Prices and Unit Labor Cost," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(4), pages 1571-1595, June.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

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