DSE 2014 Question 53: Harrod–Domar and Solow growth models
Consider an economy with N identical competitive firms, each producing Yi=(Ki)α(Li)1−α, 0<α<1, with aggregate output Yt=(Kt)α(Lt)1−α (final good is numeraire; wage wt, rental rt). There are H identical households, each with capital kth and 1 unit of labour, saving and investing half of total income (dkh/dt=21yh, no depreciation); capital is supplied inelastically. Labour supply is endogenous: each household supplies lth to maximise U=wtlth−(lth)δ, δ>1. The market-clearing wage rate in the short run (period t) is
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Consider an economy with N identical competitive firms, each producing Yⁱ=(Kⁱ)^α (Lⁱ)^(1-α), 0<α<1, with aggregate output Yₜ=(Kₜ)^α (Lₜ)^(1-α) (final good is numeraire; wage wₜ, rental rₜ). There are H identical households, each with capital kₜ^h and 1 unit of labour, saving and investing half of total income (dk^h/dt=1/2 y^h, no depreciation); capital is supplied inelastically. Labour supply is endogenous: each household supplies lₜ^h to maximise U=wₜ lₜ^h - (lₜ^h)^δ, δ>1. The market-clearing wage rate in the short run (period t) is (A) wₜ*=[(Kₜ(1-α)^(1/α))/H]^((α(δ-1))/(α+δ-1)) for Kₜ<H/δ, and [(Kₜ(1-α)^(1/α))/H]^α for Kₜ≥H/δ (B) same form but with threshold Kₜ<H(δ/(1-α))^(1/α) (C) wₜ*=[(Kₜ(1-α)^(1/α)δ^(1/(δ-1)))/H]^((α(δ-1))/(α+δ-1)) for Kₜ<H(δ/(1-α))^(1/α)≡K̄, and [(Kₜ(1-α)^(1/α))/H]^α for Kₜ≥K̄ (D) None of the above
Also written as: Consider an economy with N identical competitive firms, each producing Y^i=(K^i)^(alpha) (L^i)^(1-alpha), 0<alpha<1, with aggregate output Y_t=(K_t)^(alpha) (L_t)^(1-alpha) (final good is numeraire; wage w_t, rental r_t). There are H identical households, each with capital k_t^h and 1 unit of labour, saving and investing half of total income (dk^h/dt=1/2 y^h, no depreciation); capital is supplied inelastically. Labour supply is endogenous: each household supplies l_t^h to maximise U=w_t l_t^h - (l_t^h)^(delta), delta>1. The market-clearing wage rate in the short run (period t) is
Harrod–Domar and Solow growth models has come up 113 times in 7 exams since 2006.
What this question tests
This question is on Growth models with labour markets and class savings, part of Harrod–Domar and Solow growth models in Economics of Growth and Development.
Extensions that add a labour market or let different groups save at different rates.
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