IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/keo/dpaper/dp2026-004.html

The Survey-Based Output Gap and Input Gap

Author

Listed:
  • Koichiro Kamada

    (Faculty of Business and Commerce, Keio University)

Abstract

This paper proposes two measures on economic slackness, the survey-based output gap and the survey-based input gap. Our method extends Carlson and Parkin’s (1975) method of transforming qualitative data into quantitative data and uses Hirose and Kamada’s (2003) method of estimating a time-varying model. We show theoretically how a survey asking firms whether business conditions are favorable or unfavorable generates an estimate of the output gap in a country. Our method is also applicable to the estimation of the capital input gap and the labor input gap, which are combined to produce the survey-based input gap in a country. The Japanese survey-based output gap and input gap are estimated, based on the TANKAN survey conducted by the Bank of Japan. The estimated gap measures are consistent with the official reference dates of business cycle and have tight confidence intervals. The two measures surprisingly coincide with each other, but sometimes deviate from each other, particularly in severe recessions. The deviation is likely to be caused by changes in total factor productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Koichiro Kamada, 2026. "The Survey-Based Output Gap and Input Gap," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series DP2026-004, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    • Handle: RePEc:keo:dpaper:dp2026-004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ies.keio.ac.jp/upload/DP2026-004_EN.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Naoko Hara & Naohisa Hirakata & Yusuke Inomata & Satoshi Ito & Takuji Kawamoto & Takushi Kurozumi & Makoto Minegishi & Izumi Takagawa, 2006. "The New Estimates of Output Gap and Potential Growth Rate," Bank of Japan Review Series 06-E-3, Bank of Japan.
    2. Hirose, Yasuo & Kamada, Koichiro, 2003. "A New Technique for Simultaneous Estimation of Potential Output and the Phillips Curve," Monetary and Economic Studies, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan, vol. 21(2), pages 93-112, August.
    3. Kamada, Koichiro & Masuda, Kazuto, 2001. "Effects of Measurement Error on the Output Gap in Japan," Monetary and Economic Studies, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan, vol. 19(2), pages 109-154, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kamada, Koichiro, 2005. "Real-time estimation of the output gap in Japan and its usefulness for inflation forecasting and policymaking," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 309-332, December.
    2. Jouchi Nakajima & Shigenori Shiratsuka & Yuki Teranishi, 2010. "The Effects of Monetary Policy Commitment: Evidence from Time- varying Parameter VAR Analysis," IMES Discussion Paper Series 10-E-06, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan.
    3. Hibiki Ichiue & Takushi Kurozumi & Takeki Sunakawa, 2013. "Inflation Dynamics And Labor Market Specifications: A Bayesian Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium Approach For Japan'S Economy," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 51(1), pages 273-287, January.
    4. Koichiro Kamada, 2026. "A Simple Method for Estimating Multiple Natural Rates Simultaneously: Estimation of Japan's Potential Output and Natural Foreign Exchange Rate," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series DP2026-005, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    5. Kenji Nishizaki & Toshitaka Sekine & Yoichi Ueno, 2014. "Chronic Deflation in Japan," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 9(1), pages 20-39, January.
    6. Nakakuki, Masayuki & Otani, Akira & Shiratsuka, Shigenori, 2004. "Distortions in Factor Markets and Structural Adjustments in the Economy," Monetary and Economic Studies, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan, vol. 22(2), pages 71-99, May.
    7. Miyazaki, Tomomi & Hiraga, Kazuki & Kozuka, Masafumi, 2024. "Stock market response to public investment under the zero lower bound: Cross-industry evidence from Japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    8. Shiratsuka, Shigenori, 2001. "Is There a Desirable Rate of Inflation? A Theoretical and Empirical Survey," Monetary and Economic Studies, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan, vol. 19(2), pages 49-83, May.
    9. Hosszú, Zsuzsanna & Körmendi, Gyöngyi & Mérő, Bence, 2016. "Egy- és többváltozós szűrők a hitelrés alakulásának meghatározására [Filters with single or multiple variables in measuring the size of the credit gap]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(3), pages 233-259.
    10. Masao Tsuri, 2005. "Discretionary deficit and its effects on Japanese economy," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(19), pages 2239-2249.
    11. Matsubayashi, Yoichi, 2006. "Structural and cyclical movements of the current account in Japan: An alternative measure," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 545-567, December.
    12. Daniel Leigh, 2010. "Monetary Policy and the Lost Decade: Lessons from Japan," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(5), pages 833-857, August.
    13. Fujiwara, Ippei, 2007. "Is there a direct effect of money?: Money's role in an estimated monetary business cycle model of the Japanese economy," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 329-337, August.
    14. Colombo, Emilio & Onnis, Luisanna & Tirelli, Patrizio, 2016. "Shadow economies at times of banking crises: Empirics and theory," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 180-190.
    15. Kameda, Keigo, 2014. "What causes changes in the effects of fiscal policy? A case study of Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 14-31.
    16. Fujiwara, Ippei & Hara, Naoko & Hirose, Yasuo & Teranishi, Yuki, 2005. "The Japanese Economic Model (JEM)," Monetary and Economic Studies, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan, vol. 23(2), pages 61-142, May.
    17. Naoki SHINADA, 2011. "Quality of Labor, Capital, and Productivity Growth in Japan: Effects of employee age, seniority, and capital vintage," Discussion papers 11036, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    18. Michael Graff, 2004. "Estimates of the output gap in real time: how well have we been doing?," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Discussion Paper Series DP 2004/04, Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
    19. Ichiro Muto & Nao Sudo & Shunichi Yoneyama, "undated". "Productivity Slowdown in Japan's Lost Decades: How Much of It Can Be Attributed to Damaged Balance Sheets?," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 16-E-3, Bank of Japan.
    20. Yasuo Hirose & Takushi Kurozumi, 2012. "Do Investment-Specific Technological Changes Matter For Business Fluctuations? Evidence From Japan," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(2), pages 208-230, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Estimation: General
    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:keo:dpaper:dp2026-004. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iekeijp.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.