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Accounting for Business Cycles

In: Handbook of Macroeconomics

Author

Listed:
  • Brinca, P.
  • Chari, V.V.
  • Kehoe, P.J.
  • McGrattan, E.

Abstract

We elaborate on the business cycle accounting method proposed by Chari et al. (2006), clear up some misconceptions about the method, and then apply it to compare the Great Recession across OECD countries as well as to the recessions of the 1980s in these countries. We have four main findings. First, with the notable exception of the United States, Spain, Ireland, and Iceland, the Great Recession was driven primarily by the efficiency wedge. Second, in the Great Recession, the labor wedge plays a dominant role only in the United States, and the investment wedge plays a dominant role in Spain, Ireland, and Iceland. Third, in the recessions of the 1980s, the labor wedge played a dominant role only in France, the United Kingdom, and Belgium. Finally, overall in the Great Recession, the efficiency wedge played a more important role and the investment wedge played a less important role than they did in the recessions of the 1980s.

Suggested Citation

  • Brinca, P. & Chari, V.V. & Kehoe, P.J. & McGrattan, E., 2016. "Accounting for Business Cycles," Handbook of Macroeconomics, in: J. B. Taylor & Harald Uhlig (ed.), Handbook of Macroeconomics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 1013-1063, Elsevier.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:macchp:v2-1013
    DOI: 10.1016/bs.hesmac.2016.05.002
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Great Recession; Labor wedge; Efficiency wedge; Investment wedge; Decomposition of variance; E3; E32; F44;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • E60 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General
    • E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation

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