The goal of this thesis is to estimate potential output of the economy of the Czech Republic from 1999 to 2011. In the first chapter I focus on description of the overall product of the economy, introduction and definition, mostly NAIRU approach, of the potential output and several approaches to estimate potential output. Production function is analysed in the following chapter from econometric as well as economic perspective. The most important properties of the production functions are also described in this chapter. In the end of the second chapter I deal with three most common types of production function. Estimated values of the variables in the production function including the value of the potential output of the Czech economy and relevant interpretations are presented in the last chapter of this thesis.

The submitted diploma thesis is dedicated to the calculation of the estimation of output gap by three estimating techniques (Hodrick-Prescott filter, Kalman filtering, and Cobb-Douglas production function) for the Czech Republic during the years 1995-2009, and, consequently, to their usefulness for testing the Okun's law as a suitable predicative tool. In other words, which of the mentioned methods is the most appropriate one for an accurate prediction of the rate of unemployment. To achieve this, the Box-Jenkins methodology is used for modelling and designing the cyclical unemployment forecasts and dynamic version of the Okun's law. The results indicate that, for the given period, there is relatively strong and unstable relationship between changes in output gap and changes in cyclical unemployment in the Czech Republic. The most suitable technique for the estimating of the future development of unemployment gap seems to be the Cobb-Douglas production function approach. This is namely based on the quantity of gained forecast errors and Granger causality.

O presente trabalho estima o hiato do produto para o Brasil através das principais metodologias estudadas na literatura e apresenta uma forma alternativa de extração do mesmo, ainda não realizada para o caso brasileiro. Esta abordagem estima o hiato do produto através de um modelo de equilíbrio geral dinâmico estocástico (DSGE). O hiato do produto via modelo DSGE apresentado conseguiu identificar os períodos de recessão datados pela FGV. Contudo, além dos episódios relatados pela FGV, foram identificados mais dois períodos de crise. Este tipo de abordagem possui algumas vantagens como a possibilidade de conseguir decompor o hiato do produto estimado nos choques presentes no modelo. A partir da decomposição dos choques observou-se que a maior contribuição para a variação do hiato do produto é dada pelos choques de demanda. Ainda com relação à decomposição dos choques, foi possível identificar que os choques nos preços das commodities podem ser entendidos como choques de demanda e não de oferta. Verificou-se que o hiato do produto estimado por um modelo DSGE possui melhor poder preditivo para a inflação dos preços livres de longo prazo, quando comparado às demais metodologias apresentadas. Dessa forma, o hiato do produto via modelo DSGE pode ser uma ferramenta adicional para a condução da política monetária. / This paper estimates the output gap to Brazil through the main methodologies studied in the literature and presents an alternative way, not yet realized for the Brazilian case. This approach estimates the output gap using a standard dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE). The output gap via DSGE model presented was able to identify recessions dated by FGV. However, were identified over two periods of crisis. This approach has some advantages such as the possibility of decompose the output gap estimated with the shocks presents in the model. From the decomposition of shock was observed the largest contribution to the variation in the output gap is given by the demand shocks. Also with respect to the decomposition of shocks, we found that the shocks in commodity prices can be understood as demand shocks rather than supply. It was found that the output gap estimated by a DSGE model has better predictive power for inflation of free prices of long-term, when compared to other methodologies presented. Thus, the output gap via DSGE model can be an additional tool for conducting monetary policy.

O presente trabalho estima o hiato do produto para o Brasil através das principais metodologias estudadas na literatura e apresenta uma forma alternativa de extração do mesmo, ainda não realizada para o caso brasileiro. Esta abordagem estima o hiato do produto através de um modelo de equilíbrio geral dinâmico estocástico (DSGE). O hiato do produto via modelo DSGE apresentado conseguiu identificar os períodos de recessão datados pela FGV. Contudo, além dos episódios relatados pela FGV, foram identificados mais dois períodos de crise. Este tipo de abordagem possui algumas vantagens como a possibilidade de conseguir decompor o hiato do produto estimado nos choques presentes no modelo. A partir da decomposição dos choques observou-se que a maior contribuição para a variação do hiato do produto é dada pelos choques de demanda. Ainda com relação à decomposição dos choques, foi possível identificar que os choques nos preços das commodities podem ser entendidos como choques de demanda e não de oferta. Verificou-se que o hiato do produto estimado por um modelo DSGE possui melhor poder preditivo para a inflação dos preços livres de longo prazo, quando comparado às demais metodologias apresentadas. Dessa forma, o hiato do produto via modelo DSGE pode ser uma ferramenta adicional para a condução da política monetária. / This paper estimates the output gap to Brazil through the main methodologies studied in the literature and presents an alternative way, not yet realized for the Brazilian case. This approach estimates the output gap using a standard dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE). The output gap via DSGE model presented was able to identify recessions dated by FGV. However, were identified over two periods of crisis. This approach has some advantages such as the possibility of decompose the output gap estimated with the shocks presents in the model. From the decomposition of shock was observed the largest contribution to the variation in the output gap is given by the demand shocks. Also with respect to the decomposition of shocks, we found that the shocks in commodity prices can be understood as demand shocks rather than supply. It was found that the output gap estimated by a DSGE model has better predictive power for inflation of free prices of long-term, when compared to other methodologies presented. Thus, the output gap via DSGE model can be an additional tool for conducting monetary policy.

O presente trabalho estima o hiato do produto para o Brasil através das principais metodologias estudadas na literatura e apresenta uma forma alternativa de extração do mesmo, ainda não realizada para o caso brasileiro. Esta abordagem estima o hiato do produto através de um modelo de equilíbrio geral dinâmico estocástico (DSGE). O hiato do produto via modelo DSGE apresentado conseguiu identificar os períodos de recessão datados pela FGV. Contudo, além dos episódios relatados pela FGV, foram identificados mais dois períodos de crise. Este tipo de abordagem possui algumas vantagens como a possibilidade de conseguir decompor o hiato do produto estimado nos choques presentes no modelo. A partir da decomposição dos choques observou-se que a maior contribuição para a variação do hiato do produto é dada pelos choques de demanda. Ainda com relação à decomposição dos choques, foi possível identificar que os choques nos preços das commodities podem ser entendidos como choques de demanda e não de oferta. Verificou-se que o hiato do produto estimado por um modelo DSGE possui melhor poder preditivo para a inflação dos preços livres de longo prazo, quando comparado às demais metodologias apresentadas. Dessa forma, o hiato do produto via modelo DSGE pode ser uma ferramenta adicional para a condução da política monetária. / This paper estimates the output gap to Brazil through the main methodologies studied in the literature and presents an alternative way, not yet realized for the Brazilian case. This approach estimates the output gap using a standard dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE). The output gap via DSGE model presented was able to identify recessions dated by FGV. However, were identified over two periods of crisis. This approach has some advantages such as the possibility of decompose the output gap estimated with the shocks presents in the model. From the decomposition of shock was observed the largest contribution to the variation in the output gap is given by the demand shocks. Also with respect to the decomposition of shocks, we found that the shocks in commodity prices can be understood as demand shocks rather than supply. It was found that the output gap estimated by a DSGE model has better predictive power for inflation of free prices of long-term, when compared to other methodologies presented. Thus, the output gap via DSGE model can be an additional tool for conducting monetary policy.

Potential output is used as the indicator of the business cycle. The aim of this study is to compare the results of different methods used for estimating potential output and verify the hypothesis that potential output or rather the output gap can serve as a reliable indicator to determine the phase of the business cycle in the Czech Republic in the years 1996-2012. 6 different methods - linear trend, Hodrick-Prescott filter, Baxter-King filter, Butterworth filter, Kalman filter and the production function have been used to estimate potential output. The output gap was determined based on the estimated potential output. The comparison of the results of all methods has confirmed the same development trend of potential output. All the methods for estimating potential output, except Butterworth filter, have showed that their results are good indicators of the business cycle in the Czech Republic.

The text discusses some used methods for estimating potential product and output gaps based on aggregated data for the Czech Republic. Though these methods exhibit some common features, an empirical comparison demonstrates that the various techniques differ substantially. In particular, the correlation of output gaps calculated with different methods is generally low , the methods imply different turning points. To conclude, the methods for estimating potential product a used have only limited information content for macroeconomics.

The purpose of this thesis is to describe selected methods for estimating potential output. In the first part, methods used for the estimation of potential output are described including the discussion of advantages and disadvantages of their application. Subsequently, the potential output from 1996 to 2016 is estimated based on three selected methods using the data of gross domestic product in the Czech Republic. The methods used are Hodrick-Prescott filter, Kalman filter and Cobb-Douglas production function. In the conclusion, results of those three methods are compared with each other and furthermore compared with results published by the Czech National Bank and the Mistry of Finance.

I summarize different methods of potential output and output gap estimation including advantages and disadvantages in this thesis. I also applied two published models on real data for Czech Republic. Concerned models are Hodrick-Prescott filter and so called Production Approach. Both approaches are simultaneously used by ČNB. This thesis offers comparison between HP filter and production approach and comparison of Czech, Austrian and common EU-15 potential output and output gap. Potential output of Austria and EU-15 was obtained from OECD database. Comparison result refers to very similar progress of estimate obtained by univariate and multivariate method. It also shows different trend behavior of domestic economy against more developed EU countries, which is starting to be similar at the end of observed period.

Στην παρούσα εργασία παρουσιάζονται οι οικονομετρικές σχέσεις του νόμου του Okun, που συνδέουν τις μεταβολές στο προϊόν της οικονομίας (ΑΕΠ) με τις μεταβολές στο επίπεδο ανεργίας. Διάφορες θεωρητικές προσεγγίσεις του νόμου, εμπειρικές μελέτες προηγούμενων οικονομολόγων σχετικά με το θέμα και μία εμπειρική εφαρμογή για δεδομένα που αφορούν την Ελλάδα, θα παρουσιαστούν και θα αναλυθούν με σκοπό να διαπιστώσουμε την αποτελεσματικότητα του νόμου διαχρονικά, και ποιες αναβαθμίσεις των μορφών του, οδηγούν προς σε αυτήν την κατεύθυνση. / In this work we present the econometric relationships of Okun’s law that connect the changes in the product of economy (GDP) with those of the level of unemployment. Different theoretical approaches of the law, empirical studies of other economists, relative to the subject and one empirical application of data that concern Greece, will be described and analysed in purpose of examine, the effectiveness of Okun’s law through time and which upgrades of its versions, lead to that direction.