Endogenous Entry, Product Variety, and Business Cycles

S-Tier
Journal: Journal of Political Economy
Year: 2012
Volume: 120
Issue: 2
Pages: 304 - 345

Score contribution per author:

2.681 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

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

Abstract

This paper builds a framework for the analysis of macroeconomic fluctuations that incorporates the endogenous determination of the number of producers and products over the business cycle. Economic expansions induce higher entry rates by prospective entrants subject to sunk investment costs. The sluggish response of the number of producers generates a new and potentially important endogenous propagation mechanism for business cycle models. The return to investment determines household saving decisions, producer entry, and the allocation of labor across sectors. Our framework replicates several features of business cycles and predicts procyclical profits even for preference specifications that imply countercyclical markups.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/665825
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-24