In this paper, I examine the welfare consequences of conventional approximation methods in business cycle analysis: the log-linear approximation of model dynamics and the second-order approximation of social welfare. In a canonical New Keynesian model, the approximation around the deterministic...

We construct an optimizing-agent model of a closed economy which is simple enough that we can use it to make exact utility calculations. There is a stabilization problem because there are one-period nominal contracts for wages, or prices, or both and shocks that are unknown at the time when...

This paper studies optimal task assignments in a setting where agents are expectation-based loss averse according to KoszegiRabin (2006) and KoszegiRabin (2007) and are compensated according to an aggregated performance measure in which tasks are technologically independent. We show that the...

Motivated by the problems of the conventional model in rationalizing market data, we derive the equilibrium interest rate and risk premiums using recursive utility in a continuous time model. We consider the version of recursive utility which gives the most unambiguous separation of risk...

We report an example of a two-dimensional undiscounted convex optimal growth model in continuous time in which, although there is a unique “golden rule”, no overtaking optimal solutions exists in a full neighbourhood of the steady state. The example confirms a conjecture advanced in 1976...

How do people make choices in a dynamic stochastic environment when they face uncertainty about the return of their choices? The classical approach to this problem is to assume consumers use dynamic programming to obtain the optimal decision rule. However, this approach has two drawbacks. First,...

Motivated by the problems of the conventional model in rationalizing market data, we derive the equilibrium interest rate and risk premiums using recursive utility in a continuous-time model. We use the stochastic maximum principle to analyze the model. This method uses forward/backward...

I study optimal monetary policy in a simple New Keynesian model with portfolio adjustment costs. Purchases of long-term debt by the central bank (quantitative easing; ‘QE') alter the average portfolio return and hence influence aggregate demand and inflation. The central bank chooses the...

In this paper we outline the Lagrangian constrained optimization method to solve complex problems subject to constraints. Firstly we summarize the Lagrangian constrained optimization routine. Secondly we outline a detailed implementation strategy. Thirdly and finally we provide example and solve...