The Equilibrium and Optimal Timing of Price Changes

Laurence Ball and David Romer

No 2412, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This paper studies the welfare properties of the equilibrium timing of price changes. Staggered price-setting has the advantage that it permits rapid adjustment to firm-specific shocks but the disadvantage that it causes price level inertia and therefore increases aggregate fluctuations. Because each firm ignores its contribution to inertia, staggering can be a stable equilibrium even if it is highly inefficient. In addition, there can be multiple equilibria in the timing of price changes; indeed, whenever there is an inefficient staggered equilibrium, there is also an efficient equilibrium with synchronized price-setting.

Date: 1987-10
Note: EFG
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Published as Review of Economic Studies, Vol. 56 (2), No. 186, pp. 179-198, (April 1989)

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Journal Article: The Equilibrium and Optimal Timing of Price Changes (1989)
Working Paper: The Equilibrium and Optimal Timing of Price Changes (1987)
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