Much recent analysis of international monetary and fiscal policy issues, such as the choice of an exchange-rate regime or the design of a policy coordination scheme, has been conducted by stochastic simulations with multicountry econometric models. In these studies, it has become standard practice to consider alternative policy rules of a particular form that calls for departures of a policy instrument, from some “baseline” reference path, that are proportional to deviations of a specified target variable from its own baseline path. The present paper argues, however, that this standard rule form is seriously defective for evaluating such issues because the implied rules (1) often fail to be operational and (2) have associated performance measures that can be misleading in important cases. An example is presented that concerns the international “assignment problem” of optimally pairing instruments with policy objectives.

Much recent analysis of international monetary and fiscal policy issues, such as the choice of an exchange-rate regime or the design of a policy coordination scheme, has been conducted by stochastic simulations with multicountry econometric models. In these studies it has become standard practice to consider alternative policy rules of a particular form that calls for departures of a policy instrument, from some "baseline" reference path, that are proportional to deviations of a specified target variable from its own baseline path. The present paper argues, however, that this standard rule form is seriously defective for evaluating such issues because the implied rules (I) often fail to be operational and (2) have associated performance measures that can be misleading in important cases. An example is presented that concerns the international "assignment problem" of optimally pairing instruments with policy objectives

This paper investigates the performance, in several small-scale models of the Japanese economy, of an operational monetary policy rule related to ones previously considered for the United States. The rule dictates settings of the monetary base that are designed to produce values of nominal GNP close to targets that grow smoothly at a noninflationary rate. Simulations with quarterly data for the period 1972-1992 yield predominantly favorable results. Experiments with an interest rate instrument are also conducted but the simulated performance is less desirable. One section discusses issues concerning monetary base control in Japan.

Part 6: Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy. 19. Asset prices, consumption, and the business cycle (J.Y. Campbell). 20. Human behavior and the efficiency of the financial system (R.J. Shiller). 21. The financial accelerator in a quantitative business cycle framework (B. Bernanke, M. Gertler and S. Gilchrist). Part 7: Monetary and Fiscal Policy. 22. Political economics and macroeconomic policy (T. Persson, G. Tabellini). 23. Issues in the design of monetary policy rules (B.T. McCallum). 24. Inflation stabilization and BOP crises in developing countries (G.A. Calvo, C.A. Vegh). 25. Government debt (D.W. Elmendorf, N.G. Mankiw). 26. Optimal fiscal and monetary policy (V.V. Chari, P.J. Kehoe).

This timely volume presents the latest thinking on the monetary policy rules and seeks to determine just what types of rules and policy guidelines function best. A unique cooperative research effort that allowed contributors to evaluate different policy rules using their own specific approaches, this collection presents their striking findings on the potential response of interest rates to an array of variables, including alterations in the rates of inflation, unemployment, and exchange. Monetary Policy Rules illustrates that simple policy rules are more robust and more efficient than complex rules with multiple variables. A state-of-the-art appraisal of the fundamental issues facing the Federal Reserve Board and other central banks, Monetary Policy Rules is essential reading for economic analysts and policymakers alike.

'Monetary Union, Employment and Growth provides a thorough and well-developed analysis of the macroeconomic and microeconomic implications of the single currency.' - Terrence Casey, Journal of European Area Studies 'This book offers an in-depth discussion of two highly topical European issues - the single currency and unemployment - making it suitable for professional economists and post-graduate students in economics, international relations and European studies.' - European Access There exists a twofold relationship between the factors affecting adoption of a single currency in Europe, employment, and growth. On one hand, the operation of the euro will be hindered if rigidities in labour and product markets persist - hence low employment and slow growth may be a cause of poor performance of the single currency. On the other hand, the functioning of the euro will affect future patterns of European employment. Pier Carlo Padoan and his distinguished group of contributing authors go beyond the common European-based debates to consider the impact of the euro as a global currency on the evolution of European labour, product, and regional markets.