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On the Optimal Boundary of a Three-Dimensional Singular Stochastic Control Problem Arising in Irreversible Investment

Author

Listed:
  • de Angelis, Tiziano

    (Center for Mathematical Economics, Bielefeld University)

  • Federico, Salvatore

    (Center for Mathematical Economics, Bielefeld University)

  • Ferrari, Giorgio

    (Center for Mathematical Economics, Bielefeld University)

Abstract

This paper examines a Markovian model for the optimal irreversible investment problem of a firm aiming at minimizing total expected costs of production. We model market uncertainty and the cost of investment per unit of production capacity as two independent one-dimensional regular diffusions, and we consider a general convex running cost function. The optimization problem is set as a three-dimensional degenerate singular stochastic control problem. We provide the optimal control as the solution of a Skorohod reflection problem at a suitable free-boundary surface. Such boundary arises from the analysis of a family of two-dimensional parameter-dependent optimal stopping problems and it is characterized in terms of the family of unique continuous solutions to parameter-dependent nonlinear integral equations of Fredholm type.

Suggested Citation

  • de Angelis, Tiziano & Federico, Salvatore & Ferrari, Giorgio, 2016. "On the Optimal Boundary of a Three-Dimensional Singular Stochastic Control Problem Arising in Irreversible Investment," Center for Mathematical Economics Working Papers 509, Center for Mathematical Economics, Bielefeld University.
    • Handle: RePEc:bie:wpaper:509
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    File URL: https://pub.uni-bielefeld.de/download/2901544/2901550
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maria B. Chiarolla & Giorgio Ferrari, 2011. "Identifying the Free Boundary of a Stochastic, Irreversible Investment Problem via the Bank-El Karoui Representation Theorem," Papers 1108.4886, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2013.
    2. Boetius, Frederik & Kohlmann, Michael, 1998. "Connections between optimal stopping and singular stochastic control," Stochastic Processes and their Applications, Elsevier, vol. 77(2), pages 253-281, September.
    3. Frank Riedel & Xia Su, 2011. "On irreversible investment," Finance and Stochastics, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 607-633, December.
    4. Pindyck, Robert S, 1988. "Irreversible Investment, Capacity Choice, and the Value of the Firm," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 78(5), pages 969-985, December.
    5. Ioannis Karatzas & Fridrik M. Baldursson, 1996. "Irreversible investment and industry equilibrium (*)," Finance and Stochastics, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 69-89.
    6. Robert McDonald & Daniel Siegel, 1986. "The Value of Waiting to Invest," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 101(4), pages 707-727.
    7. de Angelis, Tiziano & Ferrari, Giorgio, 2014. "A Stochastic Reversible Investment Problem on a Finite-Time Horizon: Free Boundary Analysis," Center for Mathematical Economics Working Papers 477, Center for Mathematical Economics, Bielefeld University.
    8. Guo, Xin & Pham, Huyên, 2005. "Optimal partially reversible investment with entry decision and general production function," Stochastic Processes and their Applications, Elsevier, vol. 115(5), pages 705-736, May.
    9. S. D. Jacka, 1991. "Optimal Stopping and the American Put," Mathematical Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(2), pages 1-14, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tiziano De Angelis, 2018. "Optimal dividends with partial information and stopping of a degenerate reflecting diffusion," Papers 1805.12035, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2019.
    2. Tiziano Angelis, 2020. "Optimal dividends with partial information and stopping of a degenerate reflecting diffusion," Finance and Stochastics, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 71-123, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    irreversible investment; singular stochastic control; optimal stopping; freeboundary problems; nonlinear integral equations;
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