The linear savings function in Stiglitz' model of wealth distribution is replaced by the assumption that the average savings propensity of each individual is determined by its relative income position and the marginal propensity to save is an increasing function of individual income. It is shown...

This paper considers the problem of the optimal time path of contraction of an industry which has been hit by foreign competition, and shows that in general, along the optimal path, a production subsidy is warranted. The optimal subsidy trades off the benefit of unemployment in speeding up the...

These notes, published in 1981, introduce the concept of the social multiplier: If the behavior of agents is positively influenced by what members of their reference group do, this enhances the power of economic incentives.

The article advances the hypothesis that Germany is unable to increase its gains from trade despite increasing trading volumes. High and rigid German wages argely result from the minimum wage constraint imposed by a welfare state that offers generous replacement incomes. Confronted by low-wage...

Although it is not possible, in general, to give a macro description of a micro model over the entire state space of the micro model, it is possible to aggregate exactly over a subspace. The set of micro states where aggregation is possible forms the aggregation set. The paper considers the...

The seasonal adjustment method proposed by Schlicht (1981) can be viewed as a method that minimizes non-stochastic deviations (perturbations). This interpretation gives rise to a critique of the seasonality criterion used there. A new seasonality criterion is proposed that avoids these...

A labor market is considered that is characterized by job competition over job ladders. Firms paying more for comparable jobs can attract workers with better background characteristics (with general human capital) and will lose fewer trained workers (with general and firm-specific human...