IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/matcom/v81y2011i7p1375-1384.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Solving macroeconomic models with “off-the-shelf” software: An example of potential pitfalls

Author

Listed:
  • Herbert, Ric D.
  • Stemp, Peter J.

Abstract

When working with large-scale models or numerous small models, there can be a temptation to rely on default settings in proprietary software to derive solutions to the model. In this paper we show that, for the solution of non-linear dynamic models, this approach can be inappropriate. Alternative linear and non-linear specifications of a particular model are examined. One version of the model, expressed in levels, is highly non-linear. A second version of the model, expressed in logarithms, is linear. The dynamic solution of each model version has a combination of stable and unstable eigenvalues so that any dynamic solution requires the calculation of appropriate “jumps” in endogenous variables. We can derive a closed-form solution of the model, which we use as our “true” benchmark, for comparison with computational solutions of both linear and non-linear models. Our approach is to compare the “goodness of fit” of reverse-shooting solutions for both the linear and non-linear model, by comparing the computational solutions with the benchmark solution. Under the basic solution method with default settings, we show that there is significant difference between the computational solution for the non-linear model and the benchmark closed-form solution. We show that this result can be substantially improved using modifications to the solver and to parameter settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Herbert, Ric D. & Stemp, Peter J., 2011. "Solving macroeconomic models with “off-the-shelf” software: An example of potential pitfalls," Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), Elsevier, vol. 81(7), pages 1375-1384.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:matcom:v:81:y:2011:i:7:p:1375-1384
    DOI: 10.1016/j.matcom.2010.08.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378475410002697
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.matcom.2010.08.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stemp, Peter J. & Herbert, Ric D., 2003. "Calculating short-run adjustments: Sensitivity to non-linearities in a representative agent framework," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 357-379, January.
    2. George, Donald A.R. & Oxley, Les, 2008. "Money and inflation in a nonlinear model," Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), Elsevier, vol. 78(2), pages 257-265.
    3. Stephen J. Turnovsky, 2000. "Methods of Macroeconomic Dynamics, 2nd Edition," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262201232, April.
    4. Sargent, Thomas J & Wallace, Neil, 1973. "The Stability of Models of Money and Growth with Perfect Foresight," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 41(6), pages 1043-1048, November.
    5. Peter Stemp & Ric Herbert, 2006. "Solving Non-Linear Models with Saddle-Path Instabilities," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 28(2), pages 211-231, September.
    6. Blanchard, Olivier Jean & Kahn, Charles M, 1980. "The Solution of Linear Difference Models under Rational Expectations," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(5), pages 1305-1311, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Herbert, Ric D. & Stemp, Peter J., 2009. "Solving a non-linear model: The importance of model specification for deriving a suitable solution," Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), Elsevier, vol. 79(9), pages 2847-2855.
    2. Stemp, Peter J. & Herbert, Ric D., 2008. "Comparing different approaches for solving optimizing models with significant nonlinearities," Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), Elsevier, vol. 78(2), pages 357-366.
    3. Lamo, Ana & Messina, Julián & Wasmer, Etienne, 2011. "Are specific skills an obstacle to labor market adjustment?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 240-256, April.
    4. Sergey Pekarski, 2017. "Tight Money and the Sustainability of Public Debt," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 13(1), pages 191-223, February.
    5. Francesco Carravetta & Marco Sorge, 2010. "A “Nearly Ideal” Solution to Linear Time-Varying Rational Expectations Models," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 35(4), pages 331-353, April.
    6. Stephen J. Turnovsky, 2011. "Stabilization Theory and Policy: 50 Years after the Phillips Curve," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 78(309), pages 67-88, January.
    7. Lamo, Ana & Wasmer, Etienne & Messina, Julián, 2006. "Are Specific Skills an Obstacle to Labour Market Adjustment? Theory and an Application to the EU Enlargement," CEPR Discussion Papers 5503, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    8. David Lipton & James M. Poterba & Jeffrey Sachs & Lawrence H. Summers, 1983. "Multiple Shooting in Rational Expectations Models," NBER Technical Working Papers 0003, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. McCallum, Bennett T., 1983. "On non-uniqueness in rational expectations models : An attempt at perspective," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 139-168.
    10. Philippe Michel & Antoine d'Autume, 1985. "Epargne, investissement et monnaie dans une perspective intertemporelle," Revue Économique, Programme National Persée, vol. 36(2), pages 243-290.
    11. Peter J. Stemp, 2004. "A Review of 'Jumps' in Macroeconomic Models: With Special Reference to the Case when Eigenvalues are Complex-Valued," Department of Economics - Working Papers Series 920, The University of Melbourne.
    12. Canzoneri, Matthew & Cumby, Robert & Diba, Behzad, 2010. "The Interaction Between Monetary and Fiscal Policy," Handbook of Monetary Economics, in: Benjamin M. Friedman & Michael Woodford (ed.), Handbook of Monetary Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 17, pages 935-999, Elsevier.
    13. Gauthier, Stephane, 2004. "Determinacy in linear rational expectations models," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(7), pages 815-830, November.
    14. Chao, Chi-Chur & Hu, Shih-Wen & Lai, Ching-Chong & Tai, Meng-Yi & Wang, Vey, 2013. "Tariff-tax reform and exchange rate dynamics in a monetary economy," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 63-73.
    15. Mordecai Kurz, 2015. "Stabilizing Wage Policy," Discussion Papers 15-007, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
    16. Moosavi Mohseni, Reza & Cao, Jiling, 2020. "Monetary policy and financial economic growth," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).
    17. Michael Assous & Pedro Garcia Duarte, 2017. "Challenging Lucas: from overlapping generations to infinite-lived agent models," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2017_03, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    18. Thomas Lubik, 2003. "Investment Spending,Equilibrium Indeterminacy and the Interactions of Monetary and Fiscal Policy," Economics Working Paper Archive 490, The Johns Hopkins University,Department of Economics.
    19. Ingrid Ott & Stephen J. Turnovsky, 2006. "Excludable and Non‐excludable Public Inputs: Consequences for Economic Growth," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 73(292), pages 725-748, November.
    20. Ireland, Peter N., 2003. "Endogenous money or sticky prices?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(8), pages 1623-1648, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:matcom:v:81:y:2011:i:7:p:1375-1384. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/mathematics-and-computers-in-simulation/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.