When leisure becomes excessive: a bifurcation result in endogenous growth theory

Gomes, Orlando (2007): When leisure becomes excessive: a bifurcation result in endogenous growth theory. Unpublished.

Abstract

The traditional assumption concerning endogenous labor supply in models of economic growth is that utility increases with leisure, independently of the specific time allocation of the representative agent observed at a given moment. In this note, we explore the consequences, over dynamic stability, of assuming that the agent dislikes having free time in excess, i.e., of considering that the marginal utility of leisure is not necessarily positive for every value of the leisure share (in particular, for high values of this share). By including this assumption in a typical AK endogenous growth model, we find that the system will rest, independently of parameter values, on a bifurcation line.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Institution: Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
• Language: English
• Keywords: Labor-leisure choice; Leisure utility; Endogenous growth; Dynamic analysis
• Subjects: C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C6 - Mathematical Methods and Programming > C61 - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis; O - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth > O4 - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity > O41 - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Time Allocation, Work Behavior, and Employment Determination and Creation; Human Capital; Retirement > J22 - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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