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On Quality and Variety Bias in Aggregate Prices

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  • Francesco Zanetti
  • Masashige Hamano

Abstract

Abstract How do product variety and quality affect the aggregate price bias? We develop a general equilibrium model that accounts for the joint interaction of product quality and variety. Our findings show that the aggregate price bias is pro-cyclical and the contribution of product variety is persistent whereas the contribution of product quality becomes counter-cyclical in the medium to long run. We show that accounting for product quality and variety has critical implications on the measure of cyclical fluctuations. Measurements of cyclical fluctuations derived using the consumption deflator, which abstracts from changes in product quality and variety, underestimate the variables' true volatility.

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  • Francesco Zanetti & Masashige Hamano, 2017. "On Quality and Variety Bias in Aggregate Prices," Economics Series Working Papers 823, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:oxf:wpaper:823
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    Cited by:

    1. Hartwig, Benny & Lieberknecht, Philipp, 2020. "Monetary policy, firm exit and productivity," Discussion Papers 61/2020, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    2. Abe, Naohito & Inakura, Noriko & Tonogi, Akiyuki, 2017. "Effects of the Entry and Exit of Products on Price Indexes," RCESR Discussion Paper Series DP17-2, Research Center for Economic and Social Risks, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    3. Masashige Hamano & Francesco Zanetti, 2017. "Endogenous Turnover and Macroeconomic Dynamics," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 26, pages 263-279, October.
    4. Rui Faustino, 2019. "Endogenous Quality and Firm Entry," Working Papers REM 2019/0107, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    5. Hamano, Masashige & Zanetti, Francesco, 2022. "Monetary policy, firm heterogeneity, and product variety," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    6. Ako Viou Bahun-Wilson, 2022. "On the Role of Product Quality in Product Reallocation and Macroeconomic Dynamics," Cahiers de recherche 22-01, Departement d'économique de l'École de gestion à l'Université de Sherbrooke.
    7. Colciago, Andrea & Silvestrini, Riccardo, 2022. "Monetary policy, productivity, and market concentration," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    8. Casares, Miguel & Khan, Hashmat & Poutineau, Jean-Christophe, 2020. "The extensive margin and US aggregate fluctuations: A quantitative assessment," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Firm's entry and exit; product quality; product variety;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General

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