Renormalization of models with radiative mass generation

The mechanism of radiative mass generation is discussed by means of a simple model with spontaneously broken symmetry. We show how this phenomenon induces an infrared breakdown of the usual perturbative approach and proceed to identify a set of renormalization prescriptions allowing the construction of a new perturbation theory in which the Ward identities of the model are maintained. The original pathologies are reflected in the appearance of square roots and logarithms of the expansion parameter h/2π. (orig.)