DURABLE CONSUMPTION AS A STATUS GOOD: A STUDY OF NEOCLASSICAL CASES



provided by Research Papers in Economics

Durable Consumption as a Status Good: A Study of
Neoclassical Cases

Walter H. Fisher*

November 2003

Abstract

In this paper we extend the representative agent model of the consumer to in-
corporate durable consumption goods that generate status, where status depends on
relative consumption. The analysis is done in the neoclassical context. In the closed
economy framework both endogenous and
fixed employment cases are considered. A
small open economy version of the model is also developed. We derive the intertem-
poral equilibria and establish that in all instances they are saddlepoint stable. Among
our principle results, we show in the closed economy context with endogenous work
e
ffort that an increase in the degree of status preference raises durable consumption,
its stock, employment, and physical capital. These results extend, in general, to the
small open economy.

JEL Codes: D9, E21

Key Words: Status Seeking, Durable Consumption, Relative Consumption

Department of Economics and Finance, Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), Stumper-
gasse 56, A-1060 Vienna, Austria (Ph: +43-159991-253; Fax: -555, Email:
fi[email protected]; URL:
www.ihs.ac.at/~fisher). Fisher acknowledges the useful advice and suggestions of Franz X. Hof and the
generous
financial support of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB) (Jubiiaumsfondprojekt Nr. 8701).



More intriguing information

1. Testing Gribat´s Law Across Regions. Evidence from Spain.
2. The Trade Effects of MERCOSUR and The Andean Community on U.S. Cotton Exports to CBI countries
3. The name is absent
4. Bird’s Eye View to Indonesian Mass Conflict Revisiting the Fact of Self-Organized Criticality
5. The name is absent
6. EMU: some unanswered questions
7. Contribution of Economics to Design of Sustainable Cattle Breeding Programs in Eastern Africa: A Choice Experiment Approach
8. The open method of co-ordination: Some remarks regarding old-age security within an enlarged European Union
9. MULTIMODAL SEMIOTICS OF SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES: REPRESENTING BELIEFS, METAPHORS, AND ACTIONS
10. PACKAGING: A KEY ELEMENT IN ADDED VALUE