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The Great Moderation: Inventories, Shocks or Monetary Policy?

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  • Marcel Förster

    (University of Giessen)

Abstract

This paper presents a New Keynesian DSGE model with inventory holding firms. The model distinguishes between goods and materials, for both production as well as for inventories. The more detailed treatment of inventory holdings offers new insights into the determinants of business cycles before and during the Great Moderation. Via Bayesian estimation we determine the distributions of the parameters for U.S. data for two subsamples. Our results show that impulse responses change significantly in terms of magnitude and persistence over time. Shocks in the labor market have gained importance since the Great Moderation and they explain the volatility of many variables. We reject the hypothesis of better inventory management and improved monetary policy as explanations for the Great Moderation. Instead, labor supply developments and changes in cost associated with capital play a key role for the reduced fluctuations.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcel Förster, 2013. "The Great Moderation: Inventories, Shocks or Monetary Policy?," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201348, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    • Handle: RePEc:mar:magkse:201348
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inventories; Great Moderation; Bayesian Estimation; DSGE model; Business Cycles;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Estimation: General
    • E20 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • E30 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)

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