Incentives and Product Variety in an Aging Economy


Abstract:

This paper presents a new method to clarify intergenerational effects of the demographic change in industrialized countries, i.e., the trend of aging. Recognized effects of aging are twofold; a disincentive effect and a product variety effect. The results are consistent with the empirical findings in Cutler et al.(1990). With the evidence, our model predicts that "diminished fertility represents a problem rather than an opportunity," and that "diminished mortality represents an opportunity rather than a problem."


JEL Classification : J11, J24, L16


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