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A Nonsmooth, Nonconvex Model of Optimal Growth

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  • Takashi Kamihigashi

    (Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration (RIEB), Kobe University, Japan)

  • Santanu Roy

    (Department of Economics, Southern Methodist University, USA)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the nature of economic dynamics in a one-sector optimal growth model in which the technology is generally nonconvex, nondifferentiable, and discontinuous. The model also allows for irreversible investment and unbounded growth. We provide sufficient conditions for boundedness, extinction (convergence to zero), survival (boundedness away from zero), and unbounded growth. These conditions reveal that boundedness and survival are symmetrical phenomena, so are extinction and unbounded growth. Since many of the conditions are only local, it is possible that extinction occurs from small capital stocks, while unbounded growth occurs from large capital stocks. Despite such nonclassical results and nonclassical features such as nonconvexity and discontinuity, the model behaves much like a classical one as the discount factor approaches unity. In particular, we show that in most cases, if the discount factor is close to one, any optimal path from a given initial capital stock converges to a small neighborhood of what we define as the golden rule capital stock. If this stock is not finite, i.e., if sustainable consumption is maximized atinfinity, then as the discount factor approaches one, unbounded growth at least almost occurs.

Suggested Citation

  • Takashi Kamihigashi & Santanu Roy, 2003. "A Nonsmooth, Nonconvex Model of Optimal Growth," Discussion Paper Series 139, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    • Handle: RePEc:kob:dpaper:139
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    File URL: http://www.rieb.kobe-u.ac.jp/academic/ra/dp/English/dp139.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Olivier Bruno & Cuong Van & Benoît Masquin, 2009. "When does a developing country use new technologies?," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 40(2), pages 275-300, August.
    2. Akao, Ken-Ichi & Kamihigashi, Takashi & Nishimura, Kazuo, 2011. "Monotonicity and continuity of the critical capital stock in the Dechert–Nishimura model," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(6), pages 677-682.
    3. Pham, Ngoc-Sang, 2017. "Dividend taxation in an infinite-horizon general equilibrium model," MPRA Paper 80580, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. N. Hung & C. Le Van & P. Michel, 2009. "Non-convex aggregate technology and optimal economic growth," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 40(3), pages 457-471, September.
    5. Dai, Darong, 2011. "Wealth Martingale and Neighborhood Turnpike Property in Dynamically Complete Market with Heterogeneous Investors," MPRA Paper 46416, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Ngoc-Sang PHAM & Thi Kim Cuong PHAM, 2017. "Economic growth and escaping the poverty trap: how does development aid work?," Working Papers P197, FERDI.
    7. Kamihigashi, Takashi & Roy, Santanu, 2007. "A nonsmooth, nonconvex model of optimal growth," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 132(1), pages 435-460, January.
    8. Cuong Le Van & Çağrı Sağlam & Agah Turan, 2016. "Optimal Growth Strategy under Dynamic Threshold," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 18(6), pages 979-991, December.
    9. Takashi Kamihigashi, 2014. "Elementary results on solutions to the bellman equation of dynamic programming: existence, uniqueness, and convergence," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 56(2), pages 251-273, June.
    10. Crettez, Bertrand & Hayek, Naila & Morhaim, Lisa, 2017. "Optimal growth with investment enhancing labor," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 23-36.
    11. Holden, Thomas, 2016. "Existence and uniqueness of solutions to dynamic models with occasionally binding constraints," EconStor Preprints 130142, ZBW - German National Library of Economics.
    12. Michetti, Elisabetta, 2015. "Complex attractors and basins in a growth model with nonconcave production function and logistic population growth rate," Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 215-232.
    13. Ken-Ichi Akao & Takashi Kamihigashi & Kazuo Nishimura, 2015. "Critical Capital Stock in a Continuous-Time Growth Model with a Convex-Concave Production Function," Discussion Paper Series DP2015-39, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    14. Holden, Tom D., 2016. "Existence, uniqueness and computation of solutions to dynamic models with occasionally binding constraints," EconStor Preprints 127430, ZBW - German National Library of Economics.
    15. Kamihigashi, Takashi, 2007. "Stochastic optimal growth with bounded or unbounded utility and with bounded or unbounded shocks," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(3-4), pages 477-500, April.
    16. repec:hal:journl:halshs-00267100 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. repec:spr:joptap:v:176:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s10957-018-1241-5 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Serena Brianzoni & Cristiana Mammana & Elisabetta Michetti, 2012. "Local and Global Dynamics in a Discrete Time Growth Model with Nonconcave Production Function," Working Papers 70-2012, Macerata University, Department of Finance and Economic Sciences, revised Sep 2015.
    19. Darong Dai, 2013. "Wealth Martingale and Neighborhood Turnpike Property In Dynamically Complete Market With Heterogeneous Investors," Economic Research Guardian, Weissberg Publishing, vol. 3(2), pages 86-110, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Nonconvex; nonsmooth; and discontinuous technology; Optimal growth; Unbounded growth; Extinction; Neighborhood turnpike;

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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