We introduce an alternative version of the Fama-French three-factor model of stock returns together with a new estimation methodology. We assume that the factor betas in the model are smooth nonlinear functions of observed security characteristics. We develop an estimation procedure that...

This paper introduces a new class of parameter estimators for dynamic models, called Simulated Nonparametric Estimators (SNE). The SNE minimizes appropriate distances between nonparametric joint (or conditional) densities estimated from sample data and nonparametric joint (or conditional)...

This paper introduces a new parameter estimator of dynamic models in which the state is a multidimensional, continuous-time, partially observed Markov process. The estimator minimizes appropriate distances between nonparametric joint (and/or conditional) densities of sample data and...

For local and average kernel based estimators, smoothness conditions ensure that the kernel order determines the rate at which the bias of the estimator goes to zero and thus allows the econometrician to control the rate of convergence. In practice, even with smoothness the estimation errors may...

It has been suggested in the literature that taxes and subsidies play an important role in explaining the differences in working hours across countries. In this paper I test whether public programmes for family support play a role in explaining this variation. I analyse two types of policies:...

With increasing globalisation of knowledge, there are increased opportunities to 'learn' from the experience of policy interventions elsewhere. This paper presents evidence on the extent of international convergence in public policy, with particular focus on labour, welfare, savings and...

We examine the allocation of hours of work across industrial sectors in OECD countries. We find large disparities across three sector groups, one that produces goods without home substitutes, and two others that have home substitutes but are treated differently by welfare policy. We attribute...

We deal with smoothed estimators for conditional probability functions of discrete-valued time series {Yt} under two different settings. When the conditional distribution of Yt given its lagged values falls in a parametric family and depends on exogenous random variables, a smoothed maximum...

This paper emphasizes the two-way causality between the provision of unemployment insurance and the cultural transmission of work ethic. Values affect the size of the moral-hazard problem and, hence, the policy to be implemented. Conversely, when parents rationally choose how much effort to...

Women working part-time in the UK have hourly earnings that are on average 26 percent less than women working fulltime. Alan Manning and Barbara Petrongolo investigate what's behind this part-time pay penalty.