There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.

Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

I and i

The Theory of Monopolistic Competition.

Strategic Asset Allocation: Portfolio Choice for Long‐Term Investors.

Models in Ecology

The Of Economic Dynamics

We study the dynamics of a duopoly game a la Bertrand with horizontal product differentiation as proposed by Zhang et al. (2009) [35] by introducing opportune microeconomic foundations. The final model is described by a two-dimensional non-invertible discrete time dynamic system T . We show that synchronized dynamics occurs along the invariant diagonal being T symmetric; furthermore, we show that when considering the transverse stability, intermittency phenomena are exhibited. In addition, we discuss the transition from simple dynamics to complex dynamics and describe the structure of the attractor by using the critical lines technique. We also explain the global bifurcations causing a fractalization in the basin of attraction. Our results aim at demonstrating that an increase in either the degree of substitutability or complementarity between products of different varieties is a source of complexity in a duopoly with price competition.

The dynamics of a Bertrand duopoly with differentiated products: Synchronization, intermittency and global dynamics

Chaotic dynamics in credit constrained emerging economies

In this paper we analyze the dynamics shown by the neoclassical one-sector growth model with differential savings as in Bohm and Kaas (2000) while assuming CES production function and the labour force dynamic described by the Beverton Holt equation (see Beverton and Holt, 1957). The resulting dynamic system is bidimensional, autonomous and triangular: we investigate its qualitative and quantitative dynamic properties. The study herewith presented aims at confirming that the system can exhibit cycles or even a chaotic dynamic pattern, if shareholders save more than workers, when the elasticity of substitution drops below one (so that capital income declines). The analytical results are supplemented by numerical experiments.

Complex Dynamics in the Neoclassical Growth Model with Differential Savings and Non-constant Labor Force Growth

We consider a discrete-time growth model of the Solow type where workers and shareholders have different but constant saving rates and the population growth dynamics is described by the logistic equation able to exhibit complicated dynamics. We show conditions for the resulting system having a compact global attractor and we describe its structure. We also perform a mainly numerical analysis using the critical lines method able to describe the strange attractor and the absorbing area, in order to show how cyclical or complex fluctuations may be produced in a business-cycle model. We study the dynamic behaviour of the model under different ranges of the main parameters, i.e. the elasticity of substitution between the two production factors and the one in the logistic equation (namely μ). We prove the existence of complex dynamics when the elasticity of substitution between production factors drops below one (so that capital income declines) or μ increases (so that the amplitude of movements in the population growth rate increases).

/pdf/nonlinear-dynamics-in-a-business-cycle-model-with-logistic-5g6tfs7d4s.pdf

Nonlinear dynamics in a business-cycle model with logistic population growth

This paper studies mathematical properties and dynamics of a duopoly with price competition and horizontal product differentiation by introducing quadratic production costs (decreasing returns to scale), thus extending the model with linear costs (constant returns to scale) of Fanti et al. [11]. The economy is described by a two-dimensional non-invertible discrete time dynamic system. The paper first determines fixed points and other invariant sets, showing that synchronized dynamics can occur. Then, stability properties are compared in the cases of quadratic costs and linear costs by considering the degree of product differentiation and the speed of adjustment of prices as key parameters. It is also shown that synchronization takes place if products tend to be relatively complements and stressed similarities and differences between models with quadratic and linear costs. Finally, the paper focuses on the phenomenon of multistability thus underlying new evidences in comparison with the model with linear costs.

/pdf/dynamics-of-a-bertrand-duopoly-with-differentiated-products-kazutio5ox.pdf

Elisabetta Michetti

Papers

The dynamics of a Bertrand duopoly with differentiated products: Synchronization, intermittency and global dynamics

Chaotic dynamics in credit constrained emerging economies

Complex Dynamics in the Neoclassical Growth Model with Differential Savings and Non-constant Labor Force Growth

Nonlinear dynamics in a business-cycle model with logistic population growth

Dynamics of a Bertrand duopoly with differentiated products and nonlinear costs: Analysis, comparisons and new evidences