Some Aspects of the Foundations of General Equilibrium Theory

Some Aspects of the Foundations of General Equilibrium Theory

Author: P.J. Kalman

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 174

ISBN-13: 364295331X

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In a wide number of economic problems the equilibrium values of the variables can be regarded as solutions of a parametrized constrained maximization problem. This occurs in static as well as dynamic models; in the latter case the choice variables are often paths in certain function spaces and thus can be regarded as points in infinite dimensional spaces. It is sometimes possible to determine qualitative properties of the solutions with respect to changes in the parameters of the model. The study of such properties is often called comparative statics; [15], [2], and [10]. Certain comparative static properties of the maxima have proven to be of particular importance for economic theory, since the works of Slutsky, Hicks, and Samuelson [15]: they have been for- lated in terms of synunetry and negative semidefiniteness of a matrix, called the Slutsky-Hicks-Samuelson matrix. A discussion of this matrix and its applications is given in Section 1. The study of these properties in economic theory, however, has so far been restricted to static models where the choice variable and the parameters are elements in Euclidean spaces, and where there is only one constraint.


Design of Adaptive Organizations

Design of Adaptive Organizations

Author: Nobuo Takahashi

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 151

ISBN-13: 3642615929

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Organization design has been discussed by many authors in management and organization theory. They have obtained intuitive and prescriptive propositions appealing that the best organization design is contingent on the environmental conditions. But their studies, called contingency theory, are mostly based on empirical research. Most of the "propositions" are drawn as only inferences from the results of them. On the other hand, decision theoretic models of "organizations" in the stochastic environment have been studied by some economists and management scientists independently of contingency theory. In this book, important aspects of organization design problems are formulated as statistical decision problems in the framework of management and organization theory. Part One of this book analyzes a short-run adaptive problems of the organization design. Part One contains an expanded exposition of the ideas and results published in the professional journals, and I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers of the following journals: Behaviormetrika, Human Relations, Behavioral Science. Part Two of this book considers a long-run adaptive process in the organization, and has not previously been published in its IV present form, although a version of this part is to appear in Journal of the Department of Liberal Arts, March 1987, The University of Tokyo. The resul ts of Part One and Part Two are supported by the empirical research on Japanese firms in Part Three. This research was financially supported by Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation (NTT). I acknowledge this gratefully.


The Measurement of the Economic Benefits of Infrastructure Services

The Measurement of the Economic Benefits of Infrastructure Services

Author: Walter E. Diewert

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 3642510221

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This research was supported by the World Bank and the Social Sciences and Humanities R~search Council of Canada. Neither institution is responsible for the views expressed in this paper. The author is indebted to V. Corbo, A. Haymer, Y. Kanemoto, K. Lee, K. Mera, Hal Varian and A. Walters for helpful comments and to Elizabeth Lambert, Shehnaz Motani', and Jeanette Leigh Paisley for excellent typing services. I would like to dedicate this book to my wife, Virginia. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction . . . •. . ••. . •. ••. •••. . . . •. . . . . •. •. . . •. . . •. •. •. . •. . . •. ••. • 2. A Simple Producer Benefit Measure . . ••. •••. ••••. •••••••••••. ••••••. • 8 3. Willingness to P~v Functions and Marginal Cost Functions ••••••••••• 15 4. Approximate Benefit Measures 30 5. Problems with the Producer Benefit Measure ••••••••••••• ! ••••••••••• 41 5. 1. Static versus Dynamic Benefit Measures ••••••••••••••••••• 41 5. 2. The Problem of Endogenous Prices for Local Goons ••••••••• 48 5. 3. The Neglect of Consumer Benefits' ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 56 6. Alternative Approaches to Benefit Measurement •••••••••••••••••••••• 70 6. 1. The Questionnaire or Sample Survey Approach •••••••••••••• 70 6. 2. Ex Post Accounting Approaches •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 72 6. 3. Engineering and Mathematical Programming Approaches •••••• 74 6. 4. The Applied General Equilibrium Modelling Approach ~ •••••• 75 6. 5. The Differential Approach •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 77 6. 6. The Econometric Approach . . •••••••••. •. ••••••. •••••••••. •• 79 7.


Theory and Estimation of Macroeconomic Rationing Models

Theory and Estimation of Macroeconomic Rationing Models

Author: H.R. Sneessens

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 149

ISBN-13: 3642464394

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Introducing his book "The Theory of UnemPloyment Reconsidered", Professor Malinvaud expressed several years ago his hope "to convey [his] strong belief that the reconsideration is a major step in the development of our science". In view of the stimulating effect this approach has on economic research, it seems now that many economists do indeed share Malinvaud's belief and are ready to devote their time and their skill to ensure the realization of that progress. This book, grown out of a Ph. D. thesis presented at the Universit~ Catholique de Louvain, aims at contributing in its own way to that venture. Looking towards econometric applications, it illustrates that a framework h la Malinvaud (i. e. based on the theory of temporary equilibrium with rationing) provides the means of improving macro econometric modelling. There has been so far a wide and pervasive fear that, despite its analytical and theoretical usefulness, the quantity rationing approach would be much too complex to be successfully implemented into econometric models. The research the interested reader will discover in the subsequent pages should convince him that the difficulty faced by econometricians is essentially (I am tempted to say merely) one of developing an adequate methodology; it should thus disappear once is made the initial research investment. The empirical results presented towards the end of the book, though prelim inary, already suggests that the effort is rewarding and should be continued. My debts are many.


Multiple Criteria Decision Making Theory and Application

Multiple Criteria Decision Making Theory and Application

Author: G. Fandel

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 590

ISBN-13: 3642487823

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He consider a cone dominance problem: given a "preference" cone lP and a set n X ~ R of available, or feasible, alternatives, the problem is to identify the non dominated elements of X. The nonzero elements of lP are assumed to model the do- nance structure of the problem so that y s X dominates x s X if Y = x + P for some nonzero p S lP. Consequently, x S X is nondominated if, and only if, ({x} + lP) n X = {x} (1.1) He will also refer to nondominated points as efficient points (in X with respect to lP) and we will let EF(XJP) denote the set of such efficient points. This cone dominance problem draws its roots from two separate, but related, ori gins. The first of these is multi-attribute decision making in which the elements of the set X are endowed with various attributes, each to be maximized or minimized.


Barriers to Entry

Barriers to Entry

Author: C.C.v. Weizsäcker

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 227

ISBN-13: 3642464262

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I was originally induced to think about barriers to entry by some re search done for Charles River Associates, Inc., Boston, on behalf of their client IBM Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. After the end of this re search project I continued to work on entry barriers and related is sues of market structure. The results of this effort are reported here. What I present is not a book in the traditional sense of the word. Due to other research and administrative obligations I could not, without substantial delay, present a more finished product. The rapid progress in the field of industrial organisation theory made me fear that my results could become obsolete if I further waited with their publica tion. I hope that the early presentation of a progress report rather than a much later publication of a finished product is not only in my interest but also in the interest of economics.


Optimal Spatial Interaction and the Gravity Model

Optimal Spatial Interaction and the Gravity Model

Author: Sven Svenaeus

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 106

ISBN-13: 3642455158

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This book has grown out of a desire to explore the possibilities of using optimizing models in transportation planning. This approach has been followed throughout. Models which combine descriptive and optimizing elements are not treated. The gravity model is here studied as the solution to an optimizing model. In spite of this approach, much of the material shoula be of general interest. Algorithms are not discussed. The author has benefited from discussions with many colleagues. M. Florian suggested the term "interacti vi ty". N. F. Stewart and P. Smeds gave many valu able comments on a first draft. M. Beckmann made me think once more about the final chapters. R. Grubbstrem and K. Jornsten helped clarifYing some things in the same chapters. Remaining insufficiencies are due to the author. Gun Mannervik typed with great patience. Linkoping in October 1979 Sven Erlander ABSTRACT The book proposes extended use of optimizing models in transportation plann ing. An entropy constrained linear program for the trip distribution problem is formulated and shown to have the ordinarJ doubly constrained gravity model as its solution. Entropy is here used as a measure of interactivity, which is constrained to be at a prescribed level. In this way the variation present in the reference trip matrix is preserved. (The properties of entropy as a dispersion measure are shortly discussed. ) The detailed mathematics of the optimal solutions as well as of sensitivity and duality are given.


Optimization with Disjunctive Constraints

Optimization with Disjunctive Constraints

Author: H.D. Sherali

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13: 3642487947

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The disjunctive cut principle of Balas and Jeroslow, and the related polyhedral annexation principle of Glover, provide new insights into cutting plane theory. This has resulted in its ability to not only subsume many known valid cuts but also improve upon them. Originally a set of notes were written for the purpose of putting together in a common terminology and framework significant results of Glover and others using a geometric approach, referred to in the literature as convexity cuts, and the algebraic approach of Balas and Jeroslow known as Disjunctive cuts. As it turned out subsequently the polyhedral annexation approach of Glover is also closely connected with the basic disjunctive principle of Balas and Jeroslow. In this monograph we have included these results and have also added several published results which seem to be of strong interest to researchers in the area of developing strong cuts for disjunctive programs. In particular, several results due to Balas [4,5,6,7], Glover [18,19] and Jeroslow [23,25,26] have been used in this monograph. The appropriate theorems are given without proof. The notes also include several results yet to be published [32,34,35] obtained under a research contract with the National Science Foundation to investigate solution methods for disjunctive programs. The monograph is self-contained and complete in the sense that it attempts to pool together existing results which the authors viewed as important to future research on optimization using the disjunctive cut approach.


Multiple Attribute Decision Making

Multiple Attribute Decision Making

Author: Ching-Lai Hwang

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 3642483186

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This mono graph is intended for an advanced undergraduate or graduate course as weIl as for the researchers who want a compilation of developments in this rapidly growing field of operations research. This is a sequel to our previous work entitled "Multiple Objective Decision Making--Methods and Applications: A State-of-the-Art Survey," (No. 164 of the Lecture Notes). The literature on methods and applications of Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM) has been reviewed and classified systematically. This study provides readers with a capsule look into the existing methods, their char acteristics, and applicability to analysis of MADM problems. The basic MADM concepts are defined and a standard notation is introduced in Part 11. Also introduced are foundations such as models for MADM, trans formation of attributes, fuzzy decision rules, and methods for assessing weight. A system of classifying seventeen major MADM methods is presented. These methods have been proposed by researchers in diversified disciplines; half of them are classical ones, but the other half have appeared recently. The basic concept, the computational procedure, and the characteristics of each of these methods are presented concisely in Part 111. The computational procedure of each method is illustrated by solving a simple numerical example. Part IV of the survey deals with the applications of these MADM methods.