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Cobb-Douglas Utility - Eventually!

Author

Listed:
  • Alan A. Powell
  • Keith R. McLaren
  • K.R. Pearson
  • Maureen Rimmer

Abstract

Consider the following two opinions, both of which can be found in the literature of consumer demand systems: (a) As the real income of a consumer becomes indefinitely large, re-mixing the consumption bundle becomes irrelevant: having chosen the ultimately satisfying budget shares at any given set of relative prices, the superlatively wealthy continue to allocate additional income in the same proportions. With very large and increasing per capita income, ultimately the utility function becomes indistinguishable from Cobb-Douglas. (b) Consumer demand systems in which the income elasticities monotonically approach one (from above, in the case of luxuries; from below, in the case of necessities) are unsatisfactory both theoretically and empirically. For instance, a necessity with a low (

Suggested Citation

  • Alan A. Powell & Keith R. McLaren & K.R. Pearson & Maureen Rimmer, 2002. "Cobb-Douglas Utility - Eventually!," Monash Econometrics and Business Statistics Working Papers 12/02, Monash University, Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics.
  • Handle: RePEc:msh:ebswps:2002-12
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    File URL: http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/ebs/pubs/wpapers/2002/wp12-02.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maureen T. Rimmer & Alan A. Powell, 1992. "An Implicitly Directly Additive Demand System: Estimates for Australia," Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre Working Papers op-73, Victoria University, Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre.
    2. Powell, Alan A., 1992. "Sato's insight on the relationship between the Frisch 'parameter' and the average elasticity of substitution," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 173-175, October.
    3. Maureen T. Rimmer & Alan A. Powell, 1992. "Demand Patterns Across the Development Spectrum: Estimates for the AIDADS System," Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre Working Papers op-75, Victoria University, Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre.
    4. Hertel, Thomas, 1997. "Global Trade Analysis: Modeling and applications," GTAP Books, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, number 7685, December.
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    8. Maureen T. Rimmer & Alan A. Powell, 1994. "Engel Flexibility in Household Budget Studies: Non-parametric Evidence versus Standard Functional Forms," Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre Working Papers op-79, Victoria University, Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre.
    9. RUSSEL J. COOPER & KEITH R. McLAREN & PRIYA PARAMESWARAN, 1994. "A System of Demand Equations Satisfying Effectively Global Curvature Conditions," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 70(208), pages 26-35, March.
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    12. John A.L. Cranfield & Thomas W. Hertel & James S. Eales & Paul V. Preckel, 1998. "Changes in the Structure of Global Food Demand," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 80(5), pages 1042-1050.
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    14. Russel J. Cooper & Keith R. McLaren, 1992. "An Empirically Oriented Demand System with Improved Regularity Properties," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 25(3), pages 652-668, August.
    15. Thomas W. Hertel & Zhi Wang & Wusheng Yu, 1998. "Understanding the Determinants of Structural Change in World Food Markets," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 80(5), pages 1051-1061.
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    17. Milton Friedman, 1935. "Professor Pigou's Method for Measuring Elasticities of Demand from Budgetary Data," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 50(1), pages 151-163.
    18. Gary K.K. Wong & Keith R. McLaren, 2002. "Regular and Estimable Inverse Demand Systems: A Distance Function Approach," Monash Econometrics and Business Statistics Working Papers 6/02, Monash University, Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics.
    19. Deaton, Angus S & Muellbauer, John, 1980. "An Almost Ideal Demand System," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(3), pages 312-326, June.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Paul Preckel & Thomas Hertel & John Cranfield, 2005. "Implicit Additive Preferences: A Further Generalization of the CES," Working Papers 05-03, Purdue University, College of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    3. Wolfgang Britz & Roberto Roson, 2018. "Exploring Long Run Structural Change with a Dynamic General Equilibrium Model," Working Papers 2018: 12, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    4. Roberto Roson & Dominique van der Mensbrugghe, 2017. "Assessing Long Run Structural Change in Multi-Sector General Equilibrium Models," EcoMod2017 10257, EcoMod.
    5. Paul Preckel & J. A. L. Cranfield & Thomas Hertel, 2010. "A modified, implicit, directly additive demand system," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(2), pages 143-155.
    6. Gelan, Ayele Ulfata, 2007. "Does food aid have disincentive effects on local production? A general equilibrium perspective on food aid in Ethiopia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 436-458, August.
    7. Roberto Roson & Dominique van der Mensbrugghe, 2017. "Demand-Driven Structural Change in Applied General Equilibrium Models," IEFE Working Papers 96, IEFE, Center for Research on Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    8. Reinhard Hössinger & Florian Aschauer & Sergio Jara-Díaz & Simona Jokubauskaite & Basil Schmid & Stefanie Peer & Kay W. Axhausen & Regine Gerike, 2020. "A joint time-assignment and expenditure-allocation model: value of leisure and value of time assigned to travel for specific population segments," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 1439-1475, June.
    9. Preckel, Paul V. & Cranfield, John A.L. & Hertel, Thomas W., 2005. "Implicit Additive Preferences: A Generalization Of The Ces," Staff Papers 28646, Purdue University, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    10. Cranfield, J. A. L. & Preckel, Paul V. & Eales, James S. & Hertel, Thomas W., 2004. "Simultaneous estimation of an implicit directly additive demand system and the distribution of expenditure--an application of maximum entropy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 361-385, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    consumer demand system; applied general equilibrium; separability; implicitly directly additive preferences; effectively global regularity; Cobb-Douglas; calibration; AIDADS.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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