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Macroeconomics Survey Methods: Empirical Insights and Policy Implications

Explore successful survey, narrative, and econometric methods in macroeconomics. Learn about fiscal policy theory, approaches, and applications. Understand the impact of fiscal stimulus, empirical findings, and theoretical considerations. Delve into the neoclassical and New Keynesian models, fiscal multipliers, and the role of monetary policy.

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Macroeconomics Survey Methods: Empirical Insights and Policy Implications

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  1. Survey Methods in Macroeconomics Matthew Shapiro University of Michigan shapiro@umich.edu

  2. Goals for course • Some recent, successful methods • Surveys, Narrative, Econometrics • Looking forward to dissertations • Shifts in policy and shocks to economy create opportunities for research • Use a variety of empirical methods • Link results to theoretical questions • Understand specific episodes

  3. Applications/Topics • Fiscal policy • Theory • Approches • Narrative • Survey • Econometrics • Great recession and financial crisis • Resources/topics for research

  4. Outline: Understanding fiscal stimulus • Theoretical considerations: • When should tax cuts and government spending be stimulative? • What do empirical findings tell us about validity of theories?

  5. Outline: Understanding fiscal stimulus • Recent empirical evidence • Evidence from narrative history • tax cuts (Romer/Romer) • military spending (Ramey/Shapiro) • Comparing with econometric approaches • Narrative versus VAR (Ramey) • Case study of 2008 rebates • Michigan Surveys (Sahm, Shapiro, Slemrod) • Consumer Expenditure Survey (Parker, et al)

  6. Theory: Neoclassical Benchmark Equilibrium output supply constrained For output to increase, fiscal stimulus to demand must also increase labor supply • Labor supply moved through wealth effects • Wealth effects typically small on net

  7. Literature Strict neoclassical model • Barro • Baxter and King (AER, 1993) New Keynesian model • Hall (BPEA, 2009) • Woodford (AEJ:Macro, 2011) [MAIN REFERENCE FOR LECTURE]

  8. Fiscal multiplier(following Woodford, 2011) Discounted utility: consumption and labor Production Adding up, Market clearing

  9. Fiscal multiplier(following Woodford, 2011) Household optimization Firm optimization Equilibrium

  10. Fiscal multiplier(following Woodford, 2011) Rearranging Substituting C, Y, and inverse labor demand:

  11. Fiscal multiplier(following Woodford, 2011) Totally differentiating Utility curvature Labor supply elasticity and production function curvature Potential very small if labor supply relatively inelastic

  12. Fiscal multiplier • Lesson of neoclassical analysis • Multiplier bounded below one • Likely to be small • Taxes • In benchmark neoclassical model, timing of taxes irrelevant • Lump sum • Ricardian equivalence Taxes irrelevant

  13. Lump sum tax cut multiplier • Transfer from Ricardian consumers to non-Ricardian consumers • 1: Consumers generically non-Ricardian • 2: Fraction of consumers liquidity constrained • Lump sum tax cuts will have damped responses relative to purchases multiplier • Focus on MPC in empirical work critical • Analogous to “leakages” in textbook

  14. Tax cut multiplier • Tax cuts that effect rates of return to saving and work will have larger effects • Long-term incentive effects • Short-run timing effects

  15. NeoKeynesian multiplier Markup: Wedge from imperfect competition

  16. NeoKeynesian multiplier Markup and increased multiplier • Fiscal expansion reduces markup by increasing competition (Rotemberg and Woodford, 1992) • Stick prices: • Supply decisions based on ex ante demand • Marginal cost does not increase with fiscal stimulus

  17. Role of Monetary Policy Normal times • Level of monetary accommodation affects multipliers • “Leaning against wind” the presumption Zero lower bound • No increase in nominal interest rate • Real rate reduced though increased inflation expectations

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