DSE 2014 Question 58: 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 now: each household maximises U=wtlth−D (D>0) for any lth>0, and U=0 for lth=0 (fixed disutility of working). An increase in the number of firms (N)
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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 now: each household maximises U=wₜ lₜ^h - D (D>0) for any lₜ^h>0, and U=0 for lₜ^h=0 (fixed disutility of working). An increase in the number of firms (N) (A) leaves the wage rate unchanged in the short run (until Kₜ<K̃) and increases it thereafter (B) increases the wage rate in the short run (until Kₜ<K̂) and leaves it unchanged thereafter (C) leaves the wage rate unchanged irrespective of Kₜ (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 now: each household maximises U=w_t l_t^h - D (D>0) for any l_t^h>0, and U=0 for l_t^h=0 (fixed disutility of working). An increase in the number of firms (N)
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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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