Precautionary saving and prudence The Query to Example 17.2 asks how uncertainty about the future might affect a person's savings decisions. In this problem we explore this question more fully. All of our analysis is based on the simple two-period model in Example 17.1.
a. To simplify matters, assume that
b. Use Jensen's inequality (see Chapters 2 and 7 ) to show that this person will opt for
c. Kimball" suggests using the term "prudence" to describe a person whose utility function is characterized by
d. In Example 17.2 we showed that real interest rates in the U.S. economy seem too low to reconcile actual consumption growth rates with evidence on individuals willingness to experience consumption fluctuations. If consumption growth rates were uncertain, would this explain or exacerbate the paradox?
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Chapter 17 Solutions
Microeconomic Theory
- Read Kiyotaki (1998). Consider the model in section 2 of the paper. Suppose there is no borrowing constraint (i.e., assume is arbitrarily large). Also assume that a = 1.2, B=0.9, y = 1.05, 8 = 0.1, and n = 4. (The notations of variables and parameters follow Kiyotaki (1998). Just in case, & denotes the lower case of Delta in the Greek alphabet.) Reference: Kiyotaki, N. (1998). "Credit and Business Cycles." The Japanese Economic Review, volume 49, issue 1, (You can obtain a free electronic copy of this article through the university library's website. If you do not know how, please ask the librarians.) Answer the following questions. pages 18-35.arrow_forwardWhen analyzing how borrowing and lending affect the consumer's budget constraint, we measure spending in the current time period on the horizontal axis and spending in the future time period on the vertical axis. Assume that the interest rate at which the consumer can lend and borrow is 10%, income in period 1 is $1000 and income in period 2 is $1200. The point of maximum current consumption can be expressed as 1000+ 1200/1.1. 1000(1.1) + 1200. 1000+ 1200 + .1 1000/1.1 + 1200/1.1 + 1.arrow_forwardSuppose that a consumer/investor has an initial endowment only for the current period, which is Eo =450. She may consume today or in the next period only (two-period model). The interest rate for borrowing and lending in the capital market is 5% (a)Depict the budget constraint for the investor in an inter-temporal consumption diagram! What is the maximum amount the consumer is able to consume in the next period? (b)The consumption preferences of the consumer/investor are best described by a square root function, defined over current and future consumption. What is his optimal consumption plan? Show your calculations! Depict the results in appropriate diagram. Which amount is invested in the capital market?arrow_forward
- Read Kiyotaki (1998). Consider the model in section 2 of the paper. Suppose there is no borrowing constraint (i.e., assume 0 is arbitrarily large). Also assume that a = 1.2, ß = 0.9, y = 1.05, d = 0.1, and n = 4. (The notations of variables and parameters follow Kiyotaki (1998). Just in case, & denotes the lower case of Delta in the Greek alphabet.) Reference: Kivotaki, N. (1998). "Credit and Business Cycles." The Japanese Economic Review, volume 49, issue 1, pages 18-35. 1. What is the equilibrium value of the net interest rate in the steady state? (For example, if your answer is 5% in percentage points, then enter 0.05.) 2. Compute the ratio of aggregate borrowing (Bt+1 /rt) to aggregate output (Yt + Y't) in the steady state. (You can assume that this ratio is constant in each period in the steady state.) Notes: Make sure to clarify the notations of variables and parameters in your proof clearly if they are different from those defined in Kiyotaki (1998).arrow_forwardConsider the Consumption and Savings model with random future income. The utility function of the individual is: u(C0, C1) = (C0) + (C1)1/2, where C0 is present consumption expenditure and C1 is future consumption. Let the present income be $5, the interest rate in the financial market r = 5%, and the probability distribution of future income Y1 = (1, 2; 1/2 , 1/2). Calculate the expected utility of saving $0 (consume $5 in the present) (use two decimals)arrow_forwardThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented increase in savings in many countries around the world. In the EU, the savings rate of households has jumped from 12.5% to 17%. In 2008-2009, it had moved from 12.5% to 14% (Dossche and Zlatanos 2020). Even if the source of 2020 surge in savings is different from the one of 2008, it is obvious that this increase does not result in more investment and growth. QUESTION: Explain why household’s desire to save more may lead to a recession in the short run.arrow_forward
- The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented increase in savings in many countries around the world. In the EU, the savings rate of households has jumped from 12.5% to 17%. In 2008-2009, it had moved from 12.5% to 14% (Dossche and Zlatanos 2020). Even if the source of 2020 surge in savings is different from the one of 2008, it is obvious that this increase does not result in more investment and growth. QUESTION: 1. With reference to the paradox of thrift discuss the appropriate approach by the government to get the economy out of economic downturn swiftlyarrow_forwardThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented increase in savings in many countries around the world. In the EU, the savings rate of households has jumped from 12.5% to 17%. In 2008-2009, it had moved from 12.5% to 14% (Dossche and Zlatanos 2020). Even if the source of 2020 surge in savings is different from the one of 2008, it is obvious that this increase does not result in more investment and growth. QUESTION: 1. Evaluate if and how increased savings in recession can influence consumption, export, and investmentarrow_forwardUse the two-period model from the Appendix to answer this question.Your current income is 40,000. Your next period (future) income is known to be 40,000.If your current consumption expenditure is 32,000, your (current) level of savings S=____(Enter your answer as a whole number.)arrow_forward
- Suppose that private savings and investment functions are given by: S = −c0 + (1 − c1)(Y − T) I = b0 + b1Y with G = T = 0. Assume 0 < b1 < 1−c1 < 1 (i.e. that slope of the savings curve is steeper than that of the investment curve). (a) Model Basics: Draw a graph of the investment=savings model with S,I on the vertical axis, and Y on the horizontal axis. Clearly label the 1) specific values of each intercept, 2) specific values of the slopes of each curve. (b) Suppose consumers choose to save more by reducing consumption at any given level of income, so that c0 declines. Show this on the graph. What are the effects of this change on 1) output, 2) the level of private savings, 3) the level of investment. (c) Briefly describe the economic intuition behind your results. Why is this called the paradox of thrift? (1-2 sentences is fine). (d) Deriving the Model: Show that the equilibrium condition Y = C + I + G implies I = S + T − Garrow_forwardDuring the Great Recession of 2008, unemployment reached its highest point in the US at 10.6%. In 2009, the Obama Administration extended unemployment benefits to individuals who lost their jobs. For the following question, consider two time periods: months 1-6 in 2009 and months 7-12 in 2009. Define months 1-6 as “now" and months 7-12 as "later" in the two time period model learned in the course. Suppose that the interest rate is 4%, that the individual prefers to perfectly smooth consumption between time periods, and that the individual enters 2009 with $3000 in cash that she plans to spend in months 1-6 and/or months 7-12. Suppose that the individual works and earns a yearly salary of $50,000. She has a job during months 1-6 of 2009, but her job is terminated at the end of month 6. Suppose that the individual remains unemployed during months 7-12 but she is able to receive six months of unemployment benefits in months 7-12. The unemployment benefits give a total of $500 per week for…arrow_forwardRetail chain Kroger has more than 2700 locations and is the largest supermarket in the United States based on revenue. Kroger has invested heavily in data, technology, and analytics. Feeding predictive models with data from an infrared sensor system called QueVision to anticipate when shoppers will reach the checkout counters, Kroger is able to alert workers to open more checkout lines as needed. This has allowed Kroger to lower its average checkout time from four minutes to less than 30 seconds (Retail Touchpoints). Consider the data in the file Checkout. The file contains 32 observations. Each observation gives the arrival time (measured in minutes before 6 p.m.) and the shopping time (measured in minutes). DATA file a. Select the correct scatter diagram for arrival time as the independent variable. A. 60 50 40 30 20 10 Shopping Time (Minutes) 20 40 60 8- 80 Arrival Time (Minutes before 6 p.m.) 100 120 140 160arrow_forward
- Managerial Economics: Applications, Strategies an...EconomicsISBN:9781305506381Author:James R. McGuigan, R. Charles Moyer, Frederick H.deB. HarrisPublisher:Cengage Learning