Microeconomic foundation of the Phillips curve

Tanaka, Yasuhito (2020): Microeconomic foundation of the Phillips curve.

Abstract

We show the negative relation between the unemployment rate and the inflation rate, that is, the Phillips curve using an overlapping generations model under monopolistic competition. We consider the effects of exogeneous changes in labor productivity. An increase (decrease) in the labor productivity in a period induces a decrease (increase) in the employment, an increase (decrease) in the unemployment rate and a falling (rising) in the price of the goods in the same period. Then, given the price in the previous period the inflation rate falls (rises). This conclusion is based on the premise of utility maximization of consumers and profit maximization of firms. Therefore, we have presented a microeconomic foundation of the Phillips curve.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Phillips Curve, Microeconomic foundation, Overlapping generations model, Monopolistic competition.
• Subjects: E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E1 - General Aggregative Models > E12 - Keynes ; Keynesian ; Post-Keynesian; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E2 - Consumption, Saving, Production, Investment, Labor Markets, and Informal Economy > E24 - Employment ; Unemployment ; Wages ; Intergenerational Income Distribution ; Aggregate Human Capital ; Aggregate Labor Productivity; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E3 - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles > E31 - Price Level ; Inflation ; Deflation

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