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A Markup Interpretation of Optimal Rules for Irreversible Investment

Author

Listed:
  • Avinash Dixit
  • Robert S. Pindyck
  • Sigbjorn Sodal

Abstract

We re-examine the basic investment problem of deciding when to incur a sunk cost to obtain a stochastically fluctuating benefit. The optimal investment rule satisfies a trade-off between a larger versus a later net benefit; we show that this trade-off is closely analogous to the standard trade-off for the pricing decision of a firm that faces a downward sloping demand curve. We reinterpret the optimal investment rule as a markup formula involving an elasticity that has exactly the same form as the formula for a firm's optimal markup of price over marginal cost. This is illustrated with several examples.

Suggested Citation

  • Avinash Dixit & Robert S. Pindyck & Sigbjorn Sodal, 1997. "A Markup Interpretation of Optimal Rules for Irreversible Investment," NBER Working Papers 5971, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:5971
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    Cited by:

    1. Gianluca Baio & Laura Magazzini & Antonio Nicita & Fabio Pammolli & Massimo Riccaboni, 2003. "Il Decreto DL 15/04/2002, n. 63 sul Contenimento della Spesa Farmaceutica - Impatto sull'Industria e Distorsioni nel Funzionamento del Mercato," Working Papers CERM 0-2003, Competitività, Regole, Mercati (CERM).
    2. Jamet, Stephanie, 2004. "Irreversibility, uncertainty and growth," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 28(9), pages 1733-1756, July.
    3. Chawla, Arunish, 2008. "Multinational firms, monopolistic competition and foreign investment uncertainty," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 19592, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Calderon,Cesar & Loayza,Norman V. & Serven,Luis, 2000. "External sustainability : a stock equilibrium perspective," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2281, The World Bank.
    5. Jurgen Vandenbroucke, 1999. "General trigger values of optimal investment," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(5), pages 287-290.
    6. Arunish Chawla, 2008. "Multinational Firms, Monopolistic Competition and Foreign Investment Uncertainty," CEP Discussion Papers dp0866, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    7. Sodal, Sigbjorn, 1998. "A simplified exposition of smooth pasting," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 217-223, February.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D92 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice, Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty

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