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On the Recursive Saddle Point Method

Author

Listed:
  • Nicola Pavoni
  • Ramon Marimon

    (Economics Bocconi University)

  • Matthias Messner

Abstract

In this paper a simple dynamic optimization problem is solved with the help of the recursive saddle point method developed by Marcet and Marimon (1999). According to Marcet and Marimon, their technique should yield a full characterization of the set of solutions for this problem. We show though, that while their method allows us to calculate the true value of the optimization program, not all solutions which it admits are correct. Indeed, some of the policies which it generates as solutions to our problem, are either suboptimal or do not even satisfy feasibility. We identify the reasons underlying this failure and discuss its implications for the numerous existing applications.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Nicola Pavoni & Ramon Marimon & Matthias Messner, 2005. "On the Recursive Saddle Point Method," 2005 Meeting Papers 294, Society for Economic Dynamics.
  • Handle: RePEc:red:sed005:294
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    17. Patrick J. Kehoe & Fabrizio Perri, 2002. "International Business Cycles with Endogenous Incomplete Markets," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 70(3), pages 907-928, May.
    18. Albert Marcet & Ramon Marimon, 2019. "Recursive Contracts," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 87(5), pages 1589-1631, September.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Matthias Messner & Nicola Pavoni & Christopher Sleet, 2012. "Recursive Methods for Incentive Problems," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 15(4), pages 501-525, October.
    2. Martin Bodenstein, 2008. "International Asset Markets and Real Exchange Rate Volatility," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 11(3), pages 688-705, July.
    3. Messner Matthias & Pavoni Nicola & Sleet Christopher, "undated". "Recursive Methods for Dynamic Incentive Problems," GSIA Working Papers 2012-E13, Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business.
    4. Marimon, Ramon & Werner, Jan, 2021. "The envelope theorem, Euler and Bellman equations, without differentiability," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    5. Albert Marcet & Ramon Marimon, 2019. "Recursive Contracts," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 87(5), pages 1589-1631, September.
    6. Messner Matthias & Pavoni Nicola & Sleet Christopher, "undated". "On the Dual Approach to Recursive Optimization," GSIA Working Papers 2012-E12, Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business.
    7. Mele, Antonio, 2014. "Repeated moral hazard and recursive Lagrangeans," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 69-85.
    8. Albert Marcet & Ramon Marimon, 2019. "Recursive Contracts," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 87(5), pages 1589-1631, September.
    9. Harold Cole & Felix Kubler, 2012. "Recursive Contracts, Lotteries and Weakly Concave Pareto Sets," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 15(4), pages 479-500, October.
    10. Golosov, M. & Tsyvinski, A. & Werquin, N., 2016. "Recursive Contracts and Endogenously Incomplete Markets," Handbook of Macroeconomics, in: J. B. Taylor & Harald Uhlig (ed.), Handbook of Macroeconomics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 725-841, Elsevier.
    11. Matthias Messner & Nicola Pavoni & Christopher Sleet, "undated". "Contractive Dual Methods for Incentive Problems," GSIA Working Papers 2012-E26, Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business.
    12. Łukasz Balbus & Kevin Reffett & Łukasz Woźny, 2015. "Time consistent Markov policies in dynamic economies with quasi-hyperbolic consumers," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 44(1), pages 83-112, February.
    13. Balbus, Łukasz & Reffett, Kevin & Woźny, Łukasz, 2013. "A constructive geometrical approach to the uniqueness of Markov stationary equilibrium in stochastic games of intergenerational altruism," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 1019-1039.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques

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