Mixed Integer Programming Revealed Preference Tests of Utility Maximization and Weak Separability of Consumption, Leisure, and Money

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking
Year: 2016
Volume: 48
Issue: 7
Pages: 1547-1561

Authors (3)

PER HJERTSTRAND (Institutet för Näringslivsfors...) JAMES L. SWOFFORD (not in RePEc) GERALD A. WHITNEY (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

Swofford and Whitney (1987, 1988, 1994) investigated the validity of two key assumptions underlying representative agent models of macroeconomics. These assumptions are utility maximization and weak separability. Using mixed integer programming, we check revealed preference conditions for these assumptions. We find that M1, money defined by Friedman and Schwartz (1963), and a broad aggregate are weakly separable. We find that consumption goods and leisure and nondurables and services are weakly separable. We find that M2, M3, and MZM are not weakly separable. Finally, we find three categories of consumption, durables, nondurables and services, do not form an aggregate.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:wly:jmoncb:v:48:y:2016:i:7:p:1547-1561
Journal Field
Macro
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-02-02