Utility functions that are additively-separable in goods consumption and leisure are often used in dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models. This paper illustrates how the use of an elliptical functional form for the utility of leisure can be substituted for the more common constant...

We develop an envelope condition method (ECM) for dynamic programming problems –a tractable alternative to expensive conventional value function iteration. ECM has two novel features: First, to reduce the cost, ECM replaces expensive backward iteration on Bellman equation with relatively...

We characterize and demonstrate a solution method for an optimal commodity (sales) tax problem consisting of multiple goods, heterogeneous agents, and a nonconvex policy maker optimization problem. Our approach allows for more dimensions of heterogeneity than has been previously possible,...

This paper constructs a single-sector dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model for a trading economy. We are able to examine the effects on output, consumption, factor prices, and utility. We do this for both steady states and for transition paths. By including macroeconomic shocks,...

WThis paper builds a model of high-frequency equity returns in clock time by separately modeling the dynamics of trade-time returns and trade arrivals. Our main contributions are threefold. First, we characterize the distributional behavior of high-frequency asset returns both in clock time and...

This paper shows that a two-tiered production structure with both traded and non-traded intermediate goods and non-traded final goods can generate a cost of capital adjustment that is very similar to the quadratic adjustment cost often assumed in single good macroeconomic models. This implies...

We propose a novel methodology for evaluating the accuracy of numerical solutions to dynamic economic models. Specifically, we construct a lower bound on the size of approximation errors. A small lower bound on errors is a necessary condition for accuracy: If a lower error bound is unacceptably...

This paper constructs a large scale overlapping generations model with heterogeneity across the lifecycle and over earnings ability types. The model is calibrated to the U.S. economy and includes realistic demographics, earnings distribution, taxes, and mortality risk. We consider the effects of...

This paper considers whether expected utility maximizers who have incorrect beliefs can survive as controllers of a significant portion of market wealth in the long run. Unlike infinitely-lived agent models, where this is not the case, we consider a model with successive generations of...

This paper explores the merits of a DSGE model incorporating Schumpeterian type growth into an otherwise standard RBC model similar to the one in Phillips and Wrase (2006). We consider a model with two exogenous shocks. The first is a standard productivity shock. The second is an aggregate shock...