Machine Replacement and the Business Cycle: Lumps and Bumps

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 1999
Volume: 89
Issue: 4
Pages: 921-946

Authors (3)

John Haltiwanger (University of Maryland) Russell Cooper (not in RePEc) Laura Power (not in RePEc)

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 explores investment fluctuations due to discrete changes in a plant's capital stock. The resulting aggregate investment dynamics are surprisingly rich, reflecting the interaction between a replacement cycle, the cross-sectional distribution of the age of the capital stock, and an aggregate shock. Using plant-level data, lumpy investment is procyclical and more likely for older capital. Further, the predicted path of aggregate investment that neglects vintage effects tracks actual aggregate investment reasonably well. However, ignoring fluctuations in the cross-sectional distribution of investment vintages can yield predictable nontrivial errors in forecasting changes in aggregate investment.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:89:y:1999:i:4:p:921-946
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25