Stability and Transitions in Emerging Market Policy Rules

Conditions for stability in an open economy dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model adapted to a dualistic labor market (SOEME) are the same as for a mature economy. But the introduction of monetary policy transmission lags makes it deviate from the Taylor Principle. Under rational expectations a policy rule is unstable, but under adaptive expectations traditional stabilization gives a determinate path, with weights on the objective of less than unity. Estimation of a Taylor rule for India and optimization in the SOEME model itself, all confirm the low weights. The results imply that under rational expectations, optimization is better than following a rule. If backward looking behavior dominates, however, a policy rule can prevent overshooting and instability. Economy-specific rigidities must inform policy design, and the appropriate design will change as the economy develops.