Author: Peter M. Kort
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642489044
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 196
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Book Description
1.1. Scope of the Book This book is a contribution to the area of "dynamic models of the firm". The motivation for this kind of research is the following: Empirical studies (e.g. Albach (1976)) have shown that the development of the firm over time can be divided into different stages. such as growth. stationarity and contraction. In order to understand and evaluate these stages in a proper way. it is important to develop a suitable theoretical framework. To that end. economists have applied dynamic mathematical techniques. such as optimal control theory. calculus of variations and dynamic programming to design and analyse dynamic models of the firm. In this way. the economic theory of the firm is extended to a dynamic context. Within the field of the dynamics of the firm this book - develops a general investment decision rule. based on the concept "net present value of marginal investment". which is applicable in deterministic dynamic models of the firm; - studies the influence of adjustment costs of investment on optimal dynamic firm behavior; - extends the stochastic dynamic theory of the firm by connecting it with a dynamic version of the Capital Asset Pricing Model. Before elaborating on "the dynamics of the firm". we first review the subject of net present value in the classical analysis.
Author: Rainer Winkelmann
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 366221735X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 223
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Book Description
This book presents statistical methods for the analysis of events. The primary focus is on single equation cross section models. The book addresses both the methodology and the practice of the subject and it provides both a synthesis of a diverse body of literature that hitherto was available largely in pieces, as well as a contribution to the progress of the methodology, establishing several new results and introducing new models. Starting from the standard Poisson regression model as a benchmark, the causes, symptoms and consequences of misspecification are worked out. Both parametric and semi-parametric alternatives are discussed. While semi-parametric models allow for robust interference, parametric models can identify features of the underlying data generation process.
Author: Geert Dhaene
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642468322
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 169
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Book Description
The history of many sciences is characterized by an almost continuous emer gence of new theories. From a normative point of view, the survival of a new theory should mainly be determined by its ability to explain a new body of facts which the existing theories are unable to explain. If in addition the new theory is able to explain all the results obtained by the existing theories and if it can point out why these theories fail to explain certain facts, it should become the dominant theory. Otherwise, it might coexist with other theories for some time. Hence, a new theory ought to be judged not only by confronting it with existing facts, but also by confronting it with existing theories. The idea that a theory should be able to account for the results ob tained by other theories, although implicitly adhered to by many scientists, has rarely been formalized. The statistics literature on parametric hypoth esis testing, though, might be seen as an instance of such a formalization.
Author: Antoine Billot
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 366201050X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 175
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Book Description
Fuzzy set theory, which started not much more than 20 years ago as a generalization of classical set theory, has in the meantime evolved into an area which scientifically, as well as from the point of view of applications, is recognized as a very valuable contribution to the existing knowledge. To an increasing degree, however, fuzzy set theory is also used in a descriptive, factual sense or as a decision making technology. Most of these applications of fuzzy set theory are in the areas of fuzzy control, multi-criteria analysis, descriptive decision theory and expert systems design. In economics, the application of fuzzy set theory is still very rare. Apart from Professor Ponsard and his group, who have obviously recognized the potential offuzzy set theory in economics much better than others, only very few economists are using this new tool in order to model economic systems in a more realistic way than often possible by traditional approaches, and to gain more insight into structural interdependences of economic systems. I consider it, therefore, particularly valuable that Dr. Billot, in his book, makes a remarkable contribution in this direction. There seems to be one major difference between Dr.
Author: Gunnar Brennscheidt
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642957188
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 234
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Book Description
This book describes a series of laboratory experiments (with a total of 167 independent subjects) on forecasting behavior. In all experiments, the time series to be forecasted was generated by an abstract econometric model involving two or three artificial exogenous variables. This designprovides an optimal background for rational expectations and least-squares learning. As expected, these hypotheses do not explain observed forecasting behavior satisfactorily. Some phenomena related to this lack of rationality are studied: Concentration on changes rather than levels,underestimation of changes and overvaluation of volatile exogenous variables. Some learning behavior is observed. Finally, some aspects of individual forecasts such as prominence of "round" number, dispersion, etc.,are studied.
Author: Claudia Keser
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642481442
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 162
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Book Description
This report portrays the results of experimental research on dynamic duopoly markets with demand inertia. Two methods of experimentation are studied: game-playing experiments where subjects interact spontaneously via computer terminals, and computer tournaments between strategies designed by subjects. The principal aim of this study is the understanding of boundedly rational decision making in the dynamic duopoly situation. 1. 1 Motivation The experiments examine a multistage duopoly game where prices in each period are the only decision variables. Sales depend on current prices and also on past sales (demand inertia). Applying the game-theoretic concept of subgame perfect equilibrium, the game is solved by backward induction. The result is a uniquely determined system of decision rules. However, we can hardly expect that human beings behave according to the equilibrium strategy of this game. It is unlikely that subjects are able to compute the equilibrium. And even if a subject is able to compute it, he might not make use of this knowledge. Only if he expects the others to behave according to the equilibrium, it is optimal for him to play the equilibrium strategy. We have evidence from several earlier experimental studies on oligopoly markets that, even in less complex oligopoly situations where the equilibrium solutions are very easy to compute, human behavior often is different from what is prescribed by normative theory. ! Normative theory is based on the concept of ideal rationality. However, human capabilities impose cognitive limits on rationality.
Author: Antonio Villar
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642457118
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 166
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Book Description
Presentation Many economic problems, as equilibrium models, input-output analysis, rational behaviour, etc. , are usually modelled in terms of operators in Euclidean spaces. This monograph deals with the analysis of a number of formal problems involving this kind of operators (with particular reference to complementarity problems and variational inequalities), and their applications to distributive problems and equilibrium models. Thus the purpose of this work is to provide a set of new results on the solvability of those problems, and a number of economic applications that will illustrate the interest of these results in economics. It is worth stressing from the very begining that our analysis concentrates on the existence (and in some cases optimality) of solutions. That is what is meant here by solvability (in particular, nothing will be said with respect to the uniqueness, stability, sensitivity analysis or computation of solutions). The results on the solvability of operator problems presented here, were actually arrived at as a way of solving specific economic models. Yet we are going to relate this case by somehow reversing the way it happened, that is, starting with the formal results and then presenting a number of economic models which appear as applications of VIII these formal results. The rationale for this approach is twofold. First, it provides a neat track via which to go through the whole work. Then, because I would like to emphasize the interest of complementarity and variational inequalities problems in economic modelling.
Author: Shu-Jen Chen
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642467687
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 552
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Book Description
This monograph is intended for an advanced undergraduate or graduate course as well as for researchers, who want a compilation of developments in this rapidly growing field of operations research. This is a sequel to our previous works: "Multiple Objective Decision Making--Methods and Applications: A state-of-the-Art Survey" (No.164 of the Lecture Notes); "Multiple Attribute Decision Making--Methods and Applications: A State-of-the-Art Survey" (No.186 of the Lecture Notes); and "Group Decision Making under Multiple Criteria--Methods and Applications" (No.281 of the Lecture Notes). In this monograph, the literature on methods of fuzzy Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM) has been reviewed thoroughly and critically, and classified systematically. This study provides readers with a capsule look into the existing methods, their characteristics, and applicability to the analysis of fuzzy MADM problems. The basic concepts and algorithms from the classical MADM methods have been used in the development of the fuzzy MADM methods. We give an overview of the classical MADM in Chapter II. Chapter III presents the basic concepts and mathematical operations of fuzzy set theory with simple numerical examples in a easy-to-read and easy-to-follow manner. Fuzzy MADM methods basically consist of two phases: (1) the aggregation of the performance scores with respect to all the attributes for each alternative, and (2) the rank ordering of the alternatives according to the aggregated scores.
Author: Armin Schmutzler
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642956718
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 204
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Book Description
1 The Importance of Irreversibility and Learning - Familiar 11 Bxamples Revisited 1. 1 Neoclassical Investment Models: A Brief Survey 11 1. 1. 1 The Standard Neoclassical Investment Theory Model 13 1. 1. 2 The Investment Model with Adjustment Costs 15 1. 1. 3 The Irreversibility of Investment 17 1. 1. 4 Delivery Lags 18 1. 2 Flexible Manufacturing Systems 22 1. 2. 1 Some Basic Facts about Manufacturing 23 1. 2. 2 The Determinants of the Flexibility of Manufacturing Systems 25 1. 2. 3 Manufacturing as a Multiperiod Choice Problem 28 1. 3 Conclusions 30 2 The Role of Irreversibility and Learning in Sequential Decision Problems - Basic Concepts 33 2. 1 The Two-Period Model without Uncertainty 33 2. 1. 1 The Elements of the Model 34 2. 1. 2 Economic Examples 37 2. 1. 3 Some Basic Results 39 2. 1. 4 Intertemporal Opportunity Costs 42 2. 2 The Two-Period Model with Uncertainty 46 2. 2. 1 The Elements of the Kodel 46 2. 2. 2 Special Cases 50 2. 2. 3 Flexibility and the Value of Information 54 2. 2. 4 An Example: Waiting to Invest 56 2. 3 Switching Costs 59 2. 3. 1 The Extended Model 59 2. 3. 2 An Example: Money Demand as Demand for Flexibility 61 2. 4 Summary and Outlook 63 3 Determinants of the Optimal Choice in Sequential Decision Problems - The Two-Period Case 65 3. 1 The Formulation of the Problem 66 3. 1.
Author: Joan Esteban
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642467555
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 209
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Book Description
In this book overlapping generations economies are analysed from a game theoretical point of view and the social acceptability of consumption allocations is studied in infinite horizon models of pure exchange economieswith agents with finite lifetimes who behave cooperatively. The core of such economies and its relation with competitive equilibria, both walrasian and monetary and the essential characteristics of the overlapping generations model are examined. The author defines the problem of trust in intertemporal consumption allocations as a question of belonging or not to the core of economy and provides a full characterization of the core allocations for n-goods pure exchange economies with one agent per generation: a consumption allocation belongs to the core if and only it is Pareto optimal and Sequentially Individually Rational. From this it follows that for one commodity economies no consumption allocation involving intertemporal transfers can belong to the core of the economy. In other words, no monetary equilibrium is socially viable. This result is no longer true for many goods models. For that case it is demonstrated that there exist bounds on the real value of equilibrium money purchases beyond which monetary equilibria are not socially viableand with many agents in every generation it is shown that as the economy becomes large and monetary (as well as IOU) equilibria become eventually excluded from the core of the economy. These results provide an analytical rationale for the fact that in most countries fiat money is legal tender.
