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Optimal Conservatism and Collective Monetary Policymaking under Uncertainty

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  • Carsten Hefeker
  • Blandine Zimmer

Abstract

We study how the optimal degree of conservatism relates to decision-making procedures in a Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). In our framework, central bank conservatism is required to attenuate the volatility of monetary decisions generated by the presence of uncertainty about the committee members’ output objective. We show how this need for conservatism varies according to the number of MPC members, the MPC’s composition as well as its decision rule. Moreover, we find that extra central bank conservatism is required when there is ambiguity about the MPC’s true decision rule.

Suggested Citation

  • Carsten Hefeker & Blandine Zimmer, 2014. "Optimal Conservatism and Collective Monetary Policymaking under Uncertainty," CESifo Working Paper Series 4933, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4933
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    Cited by:

    1. Keiichi Morimoto, 2018. "Further Results on Preference Uncertainty and Monetary Conservatism," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(1), pages 583-592.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    monetary policy committees; central bank transparency; central bank conservatism; min-max;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions

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