Quick Summary

To access Population.xls, visit

Population.xls extends the basic model used in KAcc.xls and GoldenRule.xls by adding population growth. The basic framework remains the same, so the canonical graph is used again and the EqPath sheet continues to offer quick simulation to reveal clearly the steady-state solution and perform sophisticated comparative statics analyses. The workbook also contains data on population from three sources, including direct access (from within Excel) to a website with international data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Screencasts

1. • http://vimeo.com/econexcel/popworld: world population growth since 1950 and log scale to show it has not grown at a constant rate

2. • http://vimeo.com/econexcel/popvariouscountries: population growth in various countries with log scale to show differences in growth; effect of European conquest on indigenous peoples

3. • http://vimeo.com/econexcel/popmalthus: data on England's population; direct editing of SERIES formula to modify a chart

4. • http://vimeo.com/econexcel/poppyramid: creating a population pyramid chart by accessing U.S. Census data directly from within Excel; animating chart; sex ratio at birth

5. • http://vimeo.com/econexcel/popproject: forecasting via extrapolation; PivotTable to do a cohort component projection (including how the population pyramid chart is made); conditional formatting; discussion of carrying capacity

6. • http://vimeo.com/econexcel/popsolowmodel: steady-state solution via simulation and comparative statics using the Scenario Manager

7. • http://vimeo.com/econexcel/popfastslown: exploring the ratio of output per worker in two countries with different n, ceteris paribus

8. • http://vimeo.com/econexcel/popgoldenrulepopgrowth: the Golden Rule in the Solow Model with n > 0

9. • http://vimeo.com/econexcel/popconvergence: speed of convergence and half-life via Excel's MATCH function

Introduction

The basic model in KAcc.xls showed that capital accumulation produces growth while catching up to the steady-state but cannot explain the persistent growth in real GDP per person enjoyed by some countries over the last few hundred years. Population.xls, the basic model with positive population growth, will show that differences in population growth can explain some of the variation in real GDP per person observed across countries.

When a constant population growth rate parameter, n, is added to the model, the canonical graph retains its basic look and feel, but now the intersection of (n + δ)k (instead of simply δk) and sf(k) yields the steady-state solution.