Joint Production Analysis in a Sraffian Framework.

The authors present a survey of the work inspired by Piero Sraffa's analysis of joint production. The "squaren ess" of production systems is discussed, as is the role of "require ments for use." Choice of technique is considered, compared to the s ingle-products case, and related to J. von Neumann. Joint production causes certain difficulties concerning basics and the "standard comm odity." Conditions for positive prices and downward-sloping wage-pro fit frontiers are given and (free) disposal is discussed. Fixed capit al systems, depreciation, and jointly-used machines are considered. I mplications for Austrian, Marxian, and mainstream theory are noted. Copyright 1988 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the Board of Trustees of the Bulletin of Economic Research