We develop a method that allows one to compute incomplete-market equilibria routinely forMarkovian equilibria (when they exist). The main difficulty to be overcome arises from the setof state variables. There are, of course, exogenous state variables driving the economy but, in anincomplete...

We study general dynamic programming problems with continuous and discrete choices and general constraints. The value functions may have kinks arising (1) at indifference points between discrete choices and (2) at constraint boundaries. Nevertheless, we establish a general envelope theorem:...

This paper explores how much firm-paid employee benefits and firms' financial conditions have contributed to delayed employment recoveries relative to output since 1990, using a DSGE model. Empirically, I document the underexplored pro-cyclicality of per worker benefit costs. Post-1990 period...

These notes provide an intuitive introduction to dynamic programming. The first two Sections, which can be skipped, present the standard deterministic Ramsey model using the Lagrangian approach. Section 3 reformulates the Ramsey problem by means of a Bellman equation, while Section 4 shows how...

We develop and solve a dynamic optimization model of a bank's balance sheet, highlighting the critical factors influencing banks' optimization dynamics: balance sheet adjustment costs and the spreads between bank-specific lending and deposit rates and the interbank rate. We apply the model to...

Consumers use price of a product both as a signal of product quality and as a monetary constraint in choosing it. Consequently, price has two distinct roles - informational and allocative - in the evaluation of a product. In this paper, we test the validity of a research approach proposed by...

Retailers have been criticized for heavily relying on odd prices although their advantage over even prices has not been convincingly proven. In this paper we argue that such behavior does not have to stem solely from tradition, but may be seen as a rational way of dealing with uncertainty. We...