IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/81972.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

From Solow to Romer: Teaching Endogenous Technological Change in Undergraduate Economics

Author

Listed:
  • Chu, Angus C.

Abstract

Undergraduate students learn economic growth theory through the seminal Solow model, which takes the growth rate of technology as given. To understand the origin of technological progress, we need a model of endogenous technological change. The Romer model fills this important gap in the literature. However, given its complexity, undergraduate students often find the Romer model difficult. This paper proposes a simple method of teaching the Romer model. We add three layers of structure (one at a time) to extend the familiar Solow model into the less familiar Romer model. First, we incorporate a competitive market structure into the Solow model. Then, we modify the competitive market structure into a monopolistic market structure. Finally, we introduce an R&D sector that creates inventions.

Suggested Citation

  • Chu, Angus C., 2015. "From Solow to Romer: Teaching Endogenous Technological Change in Undergraduate Economics," MPRA Paper 81972, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Oct 2017.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:81972
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/81972/1/MPRA_paper_81972.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/83815/1/MPRA_paper_83815.pdf
    File Function: revised version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    2. Philippe Aghion & Peter Howitt, 2009. "The Economics of Growth," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262012634, December.
    3. Philippe Aghion & Diego Comin & Peter Howitt & Isabel Tecu, 2016. "When Does Domestic Savings Matter for Economic Growth?," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 64(3), pages 381-407, August.
    4. Ai-Ting Goh & Jacques Olivier, 2002. "Optimal Patent Protection in a Two-Sector Economy," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 43(4), pages 1191-1214, November.
    5. John B. Taylor, 2000. "Teaching Modern Macroeconomics at the Principles Level," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(2), pages 90-94, May.
    6. Lewis Evans & Neil Quigley & Jie Zhang, 2003. "Optimal price regulation in a growth model with monopolistic suppliers of intermediate goods," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 36(2), pages 463-474, May.
    7. Romer, Paul M, 1990. "Endogenous Technological Change," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 71-102, October.
    8. Daron Acemoglu, 2013. "Economic Growth and Development in the Undergraduate Curriculum," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 169-177, June.
    9. Jones, Charles I, 1995. "R&D-Based Models of Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(4), pages 759-784, August.
    10. -, 2009. "Economic growth in the Caribbean," Sede Subregional de la CEPAL para el Caribe (Estudios e Investigaciones) 38668, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bongers, Anelí & Gómez, Trinidad & Torres, José L., 2020. "Teaching dynamic General equilibrium macroeconomics to undergraduates using a spreadsheet," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    2. Jussi Heikkilä & Timo Ali-Vehmas & Julius Rissanen, 2021. "The Link Between Standardization and Economic Growth: A Bibliometric Analysis," International Journal of Standardization Research (IJSR), IGI Global, vol. 19(1), pages 1-25, January.
    3. Bongers, Anelí & Molinari, Benedetto & Torres, José L., 2022. "Computers, Programming and Dynamic General Equilibrium Macroeconomic Modeling," MPRA Paper 112505, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Chu, Angus C., 2020. "Advanced Macroeconomics for Undergraduates," MPRA Paper 98249, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alessandra Cepparulo & Gilles Mourre, 2020. "How and How Much? The Growth-Friendliness of Public Spending through the Lens," European Economy - Discussion Papers 132, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    2. Strulik, Holger & Werner, Katharina, 2014. "Elite education, mass education, and the transition to modern growth," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 205, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    3. Knut Blind & Florian Ramel & Charlotte Rochell, 2022. "The influence of standards and patents on long-term economic growth," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 979-999, August.
    4. Paul Welfens, 2015. "Innovation, inequality and a golden rule for growth in an economy with Cobb-Douglas function and an R&D sector," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 469-496, October.
    5. Hof, Franz X. & Prettner, Klaus, 2019. "The quest for status and R&D-based growth," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 290-307.
    6. Juhro, Solikin M. & Narayan, Paresh Kumar & Iyke, Bernard Njindan & Trisnanto, Budi, 2020. "Is there a role for Islamic finance and R&D in endogenous growth models in the case of Indonesia?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    7. Chang, Shu-hua & Lai, Ching-chong, 2016. "Vertical separation versus vertical integration in an endogenously growing economy," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 359-380.
    8. Gilad Sorek, 2017. "Market Power and Growth through Vertical and Horizontal Competition," Auburn Economics Working Paper Series auwp2017-01, Department of Economics, Auburn University.
    9. Дементьев В.Е., 2013. "Структурные Факторы Технологического Развития," Журнал Экономика и математические методы (ЭММ), Центральный Экономико-Математический Институт (ЦЭМИ), vol. 49(4), pages 33-46, октябрь.
    10. Fernandes, Leonardo H.S. & de Araújo, Fernando H.A. & Silva, Igor E.M. & Neto, Jusie S.P., 2021. "Macroeconophysics indicator of economic efficiency," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 573(C).
    11. Annarita Baldanzi & Klaus Prettner & Paul Tscheuschner, 2019. "Longevity-induced vertical innovation and the tradeoff between life and growth," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 32(4), pages 1293-1313, October.
    12. Reynaldo Senra Hodelin, 2022. "A Schumpeterian growth model on the effect of development banking on growth," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 607-634, May.
    13. Peter Egger & Sergey K. Nigai, 2016. "World-Trade Growth Accounting," CESifo Working Paper Series 5831, CESifo.
    14. Kais Mtar & Walid Belazreg, 2021. "Causal Nexus Between Innovation, Financial Development, and Economic Growth: the Case of OECD Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(1), pages 310-341, March.
    15. Claudio Baccianti & Andreas Löschel, 2014. "The Role of Product and Process Innovation in CGE Models of Environmental Policy. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 68," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 47501, January.
    16. Chandranath Amarasekara & Bernard Njindan Iyke & Paresh Kumar Narayan, 2022. "The role of R&D and economic policy uncertainty in Sri Lanka’s economic growth," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-19, December.
    17. Elie Gray & André Grimaud, 2016. "Using the Salop Circle to Study Scale Effects in Schumpeterian Growth Models: Why Inter-sectoral Knowledge Diffusion Matters," CESifo Working Paper Series 6021, CESifo.
    18. Kumar, Sanjesh & Singh, Baljeet, 2019. "Barriers to the international diffusion of technological innovations," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 74-86.
    19. James Malley & Apostolis Philippopoulos & Jim Malley, 2023. "Stimulating Long-Term Growth and Welfare in the U.S," CESifo Working Paper Series 10658, CESifo.
    20. Sulekha Hembram & Souparna Maji & Sushil Kr. Haldar, 2019. "Club Convergence among the Major Indian States During 1982–2014: Does Investment in Human Capital Matter?," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 20(2), pages 184-204, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic growth; endogenous technological change; the Romer model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:81972. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.