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Entrepreneurial Status, Social Norms, and Economic Growth

Author

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  • Dimitrios Varvarigos
  • Nikolaos Kontogiannis

Abstract

We offer a behavioural approach on the relation between growth and volatility, based on a monetary growth model where entrepreneurs borrow funds to invest in projects that produce capital goods. In addition to their varying pecuniary returns, different projects also vary with respect to the status they confer to the entrepreneurs who operate them. We show that social status promotes capital accumulation. We also show that, even when the status-induced increase of marginal utility is constant over time, the interaction between status and inflation is an additional source of transitional dynamics. When a social norm links this increase of marginal utility to past outcomes, however, the dynamics can generate endogenous cycles in the transition to the balanced growth path.

Suggested Citation

  • Dimitrios Varvarigos & Nikolaos Kontogiannis, 2017. "Entrepreneurial Status, Social Norms, and Economic Growth," Discussion Papers in Economics 17/05, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester.
    • Handle: RePEc:lec:leecon:17/05
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social status; Norms; Economic growth; Cycles;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • O42 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Monetary Growth Models
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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