Sticky Information Versus Sticky Prices: A Proposal to Replace the New Keynesian Phillips Curve

N. Gregory Mankiw, Ricardo Reis

NBER Working Paper No. 8290
Issued in May 2001
NBER Program(s):   EFG   ME

This paper examines a model of dynamic price adjustment based on the assumption that information disseminates slowly throughout the population. Compared to the commonly used sticky-price model, this sticky-information model displays three, related properties that are more consistent with accepted views about the effects of monetary policy. First, disinflations are always contractionary (although announced disinflations are less contractionary than surprise ones). Second, monetary policy shocks have their maximum impact on inflation with a substantial delay. Third, the change in inflation is positively correlated with the level of economic activity.

(211 K)

Published:

• Mankiw, N. Gregory and Ricardo Reis. "Sticky Information Versus Sticky Prices: A Proposal To Replace The New Keynesian Phillips Curve," Quarterly Journal of Economics, Nov. 2002, v117(4): 1295-1328 ,
• Mankiw, N. Gregory and Ricardo Reis. "Sticky Information Versus Sticky Prices: A Proposal To Replace The New Keynesian Phillips Curve." Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, June 16, 2001. ,
• N. Gregory Mankiw & Ricardo Reis, 2001. "Sticky information versus sticky prices: a proposal to replace the New-Keynesian Phillips curve," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue Jun.

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