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Technology Adoption, Capital Maintenance And The Technological Gap

Author

Listed:
  • Raouf Boucekkine

    (IRES)

  • Blanca Martínez

    (Universidad de Alicante)

  • CARGI SAGLAM

    (IRES)

Abstract

We study optimal growth models à la Nelson and Phelps (1966) where labor resources can be allocated either to production, technology adoption or capital maintenance. We first characterize the balanced growth paths of a benchmark model without maintenance. Then we introduce the maintenance activity via the depreciation rate of capital. We characterize the optimal allocation of labor across the three activities. Though maintenance deepens the technological gap by diverting labor resources from adoption, we show that it generally increases the long run output level. Moreover we find that equilibrium maintenance and adoption efforts respond in opposite directions to policy or technology shocks. When a technological shock occurs, the reduction of the equilibrium technological gap is incompatible with welfare maximization. Finally, we find that the long term output response to policy shocks is slightly higher in the presence of maintenance.

Suggested Citation

  • Raouf Boucekkine & Blanca Martínez & CARGI SAGLAM, 2003. "Technology Adoption, Capital Maintenance And The Technological Gap," Working Papers. Serie AD 2003-18, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
    • Handle: RePEc:ivi:wpasad:2003-18
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. BOUCEKKINE, Raouf & MARTINEZ, Blanca & SAGLAM, Cagri, 2006. "Capital maintenance Vs technology adoption under embodied technical progress," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2006058, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    2. Blanca MARTINEZ, 2002. "Technological convergence and the connections between adoption, maintenance and investment activities," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2002025, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    3. Raouf Boucekkine & Blanca Martínez & Cagri Saglam, 2006. "The Development Problem under Embodiment," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 42-58, February.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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