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Are technology shocks contractionary? A Bayesian VAR analysis with priors on impulses responses

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  • Stefano Neri
  • Luca Dedola

Abstract

This paper estimates the effects of technology shocks in Bayesian VAR models of the United States, Japan and West Germany, imposing restrictions on the sign of impulse responses. These restrictions are motivated with explicit priors on the parameters of a dynamic general equilibrium model encompassing both real and nominal rigidities. In all countries technology shocks lead to a persistent increase in labor productivity, real wage, consumption, investment and output; hours worked increase with a humped-shape pattern. A novel way to apply Bayesian estimation methods to DSGE models is then explored, in which the posterior distribution of impulse responses is used to update the prior on structural parameters. This shows that nominal rigidities, particularly in the form of wage stickiness, are important in explaining the effects of technology shocks

Suggested Citation

  • Stefano Neri & Luca Dedola, 2004. "Are technology shocks contractionary? A Bayesian VAR analysis with priors on impulses responses," 2004 Meeting Papers 406, Society for Economic Dynamics.
  • Handle: RePEc:red:sed004:406
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technology shocks; Estimation of DSGE models; Bayesian simulation methods;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C2 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables
    • E3 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles

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