SMU SOE Seminar (July 27, 2023): Technology Adoption, Mortality, and Population Dynamics

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ABSTRACT We develop a quantitative theory of mortality and population dynamics. We emphasize individuals’ decisions to reduce their mortality by adopting better health technology. Adoption confers a dynamic externality: Adoption becomes cheaper as more individuals use better technology. Our model generates a diffusion curve, whose shape dictates the pace of mortality reduction. The model explains historical trends in mortality rates and life expectancies at various ages, and population dynamics in Western Europe. Unlike Malthusian theories based solely on income, ours is consistent with the observed disconnect between mortality and income. Unlike Beckerian theories based solely on fertility, ours accounts for the observed acceleration in population. Keywords: Mortality, life expectancy, population dynamics, technology diffusion, convergence. JEL Codes: I12, I15, J11, E13 Click here to view the CV. Click here to view the paper.
		PRESENTER B. Ravikumar Federal Reserve Bank of St.Louis
		RESEARCH FIELDS Macroeconomics Economic Development Income Distribution Public Finance
		DATE: 27 July 2023 (Thursday)
		TIME: 4pm - 5.30pm
		VENUE: Meeting Room 5.1, Level 5 School of Economics Singapore Management University 90 Stamford Road Singapore 178903