Sustained positive consumption in a model of stochastic growth: The role of risk aversion

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Economic Theory
Year: 2012
Volume: 147
Issue: 2
Pages: 850-880

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

In a stochastic economy, long run consumption and output may not be bounded away from zero even when productivity is arbitrarily high near zero and uncertainty is arbitrarily small. In the one-sector stochastic optimal growth model with i.i.d. production shocks, we characterize the nature of preferences that lead to this phenomenon for a stochastic Cobb–Douglas technology. For the general version of the model, we outline sufficient conditions under which the economy expands its capital stock near zero and long run consumption is bounded away from zero with certainty. Our conditions highlight the important role played by risk aversion for small consumption levels.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jetheo:v:147:y:2012:i:2:p:850-880
Journal Field
Theory
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-26