In estimating a production function for an economy, constant returns to scale has been a traditionally maintained hypothesis. In modelling Switzerland's gross output as a function of labor, capital and imports, a general functional form is selected which displays increasing returns to scale and is not Hicks-neutral. It is a technology which is labor saving, import saving and capital using. This paper also quantifies the mismeasurements associated with using a constant returns to scale model to estimate such variables as own-elasticities of demand, elasticities of substitution, impacts on factor income and rate of technical progress.

This paper develops and estimates a model of interrelated factor demand with rational expectations, in the presence of internal adjustment costs. Invariant technological parameters are distinguished from the firm's adjustment parameters, which change when the exogenous processes faced by the firm change. The capital demand equation is derived by solving the Euler equations which stem from minimization of the present value of costs. Future exogenous variables are supplied from solutions of ARIMA equations. The model is tested on postwar quarterly data for U.S. manufacturing. A regime change in the process for energy prices is simulated, as is a temporary suspension of the investment tax credit.

Ahstrat t-This paper evaluates electricity two-part tariffs with both efficiency and equity criteria. The efficiency of tariffs is analyzed by studying the relation between price and marginal cost for both customer connection and variable output. The equity of tariffs is addressed by an analysis of cross subsidization. To address these issues, this paper presents a multiproduct cost function that can provide information on output and connection marginal costs for each customer class. Using a 1980 cross section of electric utilities, it is shown that prices are not set in a first-best efficient manner, and least favor the commercial class.

The focus of this paper i s on the escape clause petitions filed under the Trade Act of 1974 (Section 201). First, the capital marketevent study method is used to analyze the effects of protection decisions. Then, cross-section regressions are performed to examine the influence of key variables on the observed market reaction. The authors conc lude that while protection is beneficial to beleaguered industries, the extent o f such benefits is quite narrowly circumscribed and is conditional on internal v ariables for each firm. Protection is thus not the panacea that its advocates cl aim. Copyright 1986 by MIT Press.