The primary objective of this book is to advance the state of the art in specifying and ?tting to data structural multi-sector dynamic macroeconomic models, and empirically implementing them. The fundamental construct upon which we build is the Ramsey model. A most attractive feature of this model is the insights it provides into the dynamics of an economy in tr- sition to long-run equilibrium. With some exceptions, Ramsey models are highly aggregated - typically single sector models. However, interest often lies in understanding the forces of e- nomic growth across multiple sectors of an economy and on how policy impacts likely play out over time. Such analyses call for moredisaggregatedmodelsthatcanbe?ttocountryorregional data.Thisbookshowshowto:(i)extendthebasicmodeltom- tiple sectors, (ii) how to adapt the basic model to account for policy instruments, and (iii) ?t the model to data, and obtain equilibrium values both forward and backward in time from the data points to which the model is initially ?t.
This book provides a reader with a practical foundation in general equilibrium theory, embeds the theory in a multi-sector dynamic framework, discusses how to practically link the theory to real economic data, and provides clear instructions on how to use existing software - in this case Mathematica - to construct model simulations for policy and other analysis. This book pulls it all together in a conceptually sound, yet practical, manner, and brings the theory to life. A unique feature is the integration of traditional static trade theory into modern neoclassical growth theory so the reader has the sense of building upon known constructs as opposed to learning a sequence of different models. The book provides several examples of real economic problems with policy interests and shows how to "bring these problems to life" with theory and data.
From the reviews:
"The central issue of the book is transition from theoretical description of an economy to real-life applications of the theory. ? The book could serve as a textbook for advanced undergraduate students or graduate students (e.g. in an Applied General Equilibrium course) or as a companion book for any person willing to apply the theory to real-life problems." (Piotr Mackowiak, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1198, 2010)
