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The Role of Relative Price Volatility in the Efficiency of Investment Allocation

Author

Listed:
  • Eduardo Cavallo
  • Arturo Galindo
  • Alejandro Izquierdo
  • John Jairo Leon

Abstract

This paper estimates the impact of relative price volatility on sector-level investment allocation using a panel of 65 countries with data for 26 manufacturing industries over the period 1985-2003. Results indicate that volatility distorts efficient investment allocation in that investment is not necessarily devoted to relatively more productive sectors, especially in emerging market economies that are highly exposed and may lack the necessary institutions to deal with it successfully. This is evidence in support of theories suggesting that relative price volatility provides incentives for entrepreneurs to adopt more “malleable” but less productive production technologies, enabling them to accommodate more easily abrupt and frequent changes in relative prices, but at the cost of using less productive technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Eduardo Cavallo & Arturo Galindo & Alejandro Izquierdo & John Jairo Leon, 2010. "The Role of Relative Price Volatility in the Efficiency of Investment Allocation," Research Department Publications 4682, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    • Handle: RePEc:idb:wpaper:4682
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    Cited by:

    1. Sokolovskyi, Dmytro, 2018. "The factors inefficient allocation of investment between economies," MPRA Paper 87032, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Becerra, O. & Cavallo, E. & Scartascini, C., 2012. "The politics of financial development: The role of interest groups and government capabilities," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 626-643.
    3. Wang, Yizhong & Chen, Carl R. & Chen, Lifang & Huang, Ying Sophie, 2016. "Overinvestment, inflation uncertainty, and managerial overconfidence: Firm level analysis of Chinese corporations," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 54-69.
    4. Peter Karpestam & Fredrik NG Andersson, 2011. "A flexible CO2 targeting regime," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 31(1), pages 297-308.
    5. Wang, Yizhong & Chen, Carl R. & Huang, Ying Sophie, 2014. "Economic policy uncertainty and corporate investment: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 227-243.
    6. Rojas Cama, Freddy A. & Emara, Noha, 2022. "Financial inclusion and gross capital formation: A sectoral analysis approach for the MENA region and EMs," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    7. Wang, Yizhong & Chen, Lifang & Huang, Ying Sophie & Li, Yong, 2018. "How does credit market distortion affect corporate investment efficiency? The role of managerial forecast," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 266-273.
    8. María Franco Chuaire & Carlos Scartascini & Mariano Tommasi, 2017. "State capacity and the quality of policies. Revisiting the relationship between openness and government size," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 133-156, July.
    9. Thomas L. Hogan & Daniel J. Smith, 2022. "War, money & economy: Inflation and production in the Fed and pre-Fed periods," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 35(1), pages 15-37, March.
    10. Maria Franco & Carlos Scartascini & Mariano Tommasi, 2014. "State Capacity and the Quality of Policies: Revisiting the Relationship between Openness and the Size of Government," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 86254, Inter-American Development Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sector-level TFP; Relative price volatility; Investment allocation; Financial crises; Emerging markets; Malleable technologies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General

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