Reconsidering macroeconomic policy prescriptions with meta-analysis

One-child Policy: A Macroeconomic Analysis

This paper studies the effects of a one-child policy. A benchmark without the fertility constraint is compared to a counterfactual experiment with the fertility constraint in place. The results suggest that imposing the one-child policy promotes the accumulation of human capital and increases output per capita. In partial equilibrium, an unskilled adult’s welfare is lowered by the policy. Howev...

The One-child Policy: A Macroeconomic Analysis

This paper studies the effects of a one-child policy. A benchmark without the fertility constraint is compared to a counterfactual experiment with the fertility constraint in place. The results suggest that imposition of a one-child policy promotes the accumulation of human capital and increases per capita output. In partial equilibrium, an unskilled adult’s welfare is lowered by the policy. Ho...

Meta-analysis: A Tool for Upgrading Inputs of Macroeconomic Policy Models

Meta-analysis is a research method to synthesise previously obtained research results. It is best seen as a statistical approach towards reviewing and summarising the literature. This paper aims to introduce and critically review the research method of meta-analysis and to illustrate its potential use in applied economic policy analysis. Special attention will be paid to the possibilities for v...

Robustness and Macroeconomic Policy

This paper considers the design of macroeconomic policies in the face of uncertainty. In recent years, several economists have advocated that when policymakers are uncertain about the environment they face and find it difficult to assign precise probabilities to the alternative scenarios that may characterize this environment, they should design policies to be robust in the sense that they mini...

Macroeconomic Policy and Performance