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Expandability, Reversibility, and Optimal Capacity Choice

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  • Avinash K. Dixit
  • Robert S. Pindyck

Abstract

We develop continuous-time models of capacity choice when demand fluctuates stochastically, and the firm's opportunities to expand or contract are limited. Specifically consider costs of investing or disinvesting that vary with time, or with the amount of capacity already installed. The firm's limited opportunities to expand or contract create call and put options on incremental units of capital; we show how the values of these options affect the firm's investment decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Avinash K. Dixit & Robert S. Pindyck, 1998. "Expandability, Reversibility, and Optimal Capacity Choice," NBER Working Papers 6373, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:6373
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andrew B. Abel & Avinash K. Dixit & Janice C. Eberly & Robert S. Pindyck, 1996. "Options, the Value of Capital, and Investment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 111(3), pages 753-777.
    2. Trigeorgis, Lenos, 1993. "The Nature of Option Interactions and the Valuation of Investments with Multiple Real Options," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 28(1), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Dixit, Avinash, 1995. "Irreversible investment with uncertainty and scale economies," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 19(1-2), pages 327-350.
    4. L. Wade, 1988. "Review," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 99-100, July.
    5. Marco Antonio Bonomo, 1994. "Optimal two-sided and suboptimal one-sided state-dependent pricing rules," Textos para discussão 313, Department of Economics PUC-Rio (Brazil).
    6. Dixit, Avinash K, 1989. "Entry and Exit Decisions under Uncertainty," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(3), pages 620-638, June.
    7. Pindyck, Robert S, 1991. "Irreversibility, Uncertainty, and Investment," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 29(3), pages 1110-1148, September.
    8. Pindyck, Robert S, 1988. "Irreversible Investment, Capacity Choice, and the Value of the Firm," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 78(5), pages 969-985, December.
    9. Avinash Dixit, 1992. "Investment and Hysteresis," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 6(1), pages 107-132, Winter.
    10. McDonald, Robert L & Siegel, Daniel R, 1985. "Investment and the Valuation of Firms When There Is an Option to Shut Down," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 26(2), pages 331-349, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sergio Vergalli, 2011. "Entry and Exit Strategies in Migration Dynamics," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 362-389, December.
    2. Jou, Jyh-Bang, 2001. "Entry, financing, and bankruptcy decisions: The limited liability effect," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 69-88.
    3. Michael Ye & John Zyren & Carol Blumberg & Joanne Shore, 2009. "A Short-Run Crude Oil Price Forecast Model with Ratchet Effect," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 37(1), pages 37-50, March.
    4. Hartman, Richard & Hendrickson, Michael, 2002. "Optimal partially reversible investment," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 483-508, March.
    5. Alessandro Fedele & Paolo M. Panteghini & Sergio Vergalli, 2011. "Optimal Investment and Financial Strategies under Tax‐Rate Uncertainty," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 12(4), pages 438-468, November.
    6. Michele Moretto & Sergio Vergalli, 2008. "Managing Migration through Quotas: an Option-theory Perspective," Working Papers 0805, University of Brescia, Department of Economics.
    7. Giacomo Corneo & Sergio Vergalli, 2013. "Editorial: The economics of irreversible choices," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 110(1), pages 1-3, September.
    8. Michael Ye & John Zyren & Joanne Shore, 2006. "Short-Run Crude Oil Price and Surplus Production Capacity," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 12(3), pages 390-394, August.
    9. Richard Hartman & Michael Hendrickson, 1999. "Optimal Partially Reversible Investment," Discussion Papers in Economics at the University of Washington 0032, Department of Economics at the University of Washington.
    10. Michele Moretto & Sergio Vergalli, 2010. "Managing Migration Through Conflicting Policies: An Option‐Theory Perspective," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 57(3), pages 318-342, July.
    11. Gutiérrez, Gabriel, 2004. "Metodología para análisis intersectorial de estrategias de crecimiento y empleo," Documentos de Proyectos 3668, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    12. Li, Yong & James, Barclay & Madhavan, Ravi & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2006. "Real Options: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead," Working Papers 06-0114, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    13. Slechten, Aurélie, 2013. "Intertemporal links in cap-and-trade schemes," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 319-336.
    14. Francesca Barion & Raffaele Miniaci & Paolo Panteghini & Maria Laura Parisi, 2010. "Profit Shifting by Debt Financing in Europe," CESifo Working Paper Series 2985, CESifo.
    15. Hintermaier, Thomas & Steinberger, Thomas, 2005. "Occupational choice and the private equity premium puzzle," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 29(10), pages 1765-1783, October.
    16. Lee, Tan, 2004. "Determinants of the foreign equity share of international joint ventures," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 28(11), pages 2261-2275, October.
    17. Jyh-Bang Jou, 2001. "Environment, Asset Characteristics, and Optimal Effluent Fees," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 20(1), pages 27-39, September.
    18. Seong-Hoon Cho & Jaimin Lee, 2021. "Estimating the uncertainty–R&D investment relationship and its interactions with firm size," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 1243-1267, October.
    19. Choi, Kyoung Jin & Jeon, Junkee & Koo, Hyeng Keun, 2022. "Intertemporal preference with loss aversion: Consumption and risk-attitude," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    20. Adela Luque, 2002. "An option-value approach to technology adoption in U.S. manufacturing: Evidence from microdata," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(6), pages 543-568.
    21. repec:kap:iaecre:v:12:y:2006:i:3:p:390-394 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Junkee Jeon & Kyunghyun Park, 2021. "Portfolio selection with drawdown constraint on consumption: a generalization model," Mathematical Methods of Operations Research, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research (GOR);Nederlands Genootschap voor Besliskunde (NGB), vol. 93(2), pages 243-289, April.
    23. Egil Matsen & Snorre Lindset, 2007. "Optimal Portfolio Choice and Investment in Education," Working Paper Series 8707, Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D92 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice, Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity

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