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Cyclical Behavior of Prices and Quantities in the Automobile Market

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  • Olivier J. Blanchard
  • Angelo Melino

Abstract

This paper has a simple goal, that of understanding the joint behaviorof prices and quantities in a particular market. More precisely, it examines whether we can find decision problems for suppliers and buyers, together with a market equilibrium structure, which are consistent with the observed price and quantity time series. Because of the relative homogeneity of the product, of the size of the market, end of the quality of the data, the market chosen is the automobile market.The first conclusion we reach is that this goal is difficult to achieve.The behavior of prices appears inconsistent with simple -- competitive, monopolistically competitive or monopolistic -- market structures. Prices appear, in a well defined sense, to be too "sticky". We then consider potentiail explanations and extensions. None appears completely satisfactory. In particular, the introduction of costs of changing prices does not seem able to explain the joint behavior of prices and quantities.

Suggested Citation

  • Olivier J. Blanchard & Angelo Melino, 1984. "Cyclical Behavior of Prices and Quantities in the Automobile Market," NBER Working Papers 1325, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:1325
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julio J. Rotemberg, 1982. "Monopolistic Price Adjustment and Aggregate Output," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 49(4), pages 517-531.
    2. Blanchard, Olivier J, 1983. "The Production and Inventory Behavior of the American Automobile Industry," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 91(3), pages 365-400, June.
    3. Bulow, Jeremy I, 1982. "Durable-Goods Monopolists," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 90(2), pages 314-332, April.
    4. Frank C. Wykoff, 1973. "A User Cost Approach to New Automobile Purchases," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 40(3), pages 377-390.
    5. Ben S. Bernanke, 1984. "Permanent Income, Liquidity, and Expenditure on Automobiles: Evidence from Panel Data," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 99(3), pages 587-614.
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    Cited by:

    1. Robert S. Pindyck, 1994. "Inventories and the Short-Run Dynamics of Commodity Prices," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 25(1), pages 141-159, Spring.
    2. Gottfries, Nils, 1999. "Markets Shares, Financial Constraints, and Pricing Behavior in the Export Market," Working Paper Series 1999:15, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
    3. Blanchard, Olivier J, 1983. "The Production and Inventory Behavior of the American Automobile Industry," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 91(3), pages 365-400, June.
    4. Caplin, Andrew & Leahy, John, 2006. "Equilibrium in a durable goods market with lumpy adjustment," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 128(1), pages 187-213, May.

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