There is a substantial amount of microeconomic evidence documenting diferential responses oflabor supply across productivity groups. In partic-ular, more productive individuals: (i) enjoy ahigher employment rate, (ii) have a lower volatility of employment and (iii) spend less time workingat...

This paper presents an algorithm for solving nonlinear dynamic stochastic models that computes value function by simulations. We argue that the proposed algorithm can be a useful alternative to the existing methods in some applications.

This paper studies a complete-market version of the neoclassical growth model, where agents face idiosyncratic shocks to earnings. We show that if agents possess identical preferences of either the CRRA or the addilog type, then the heterogeneous-agent economy behaves as if there was a...

In this paper we study how the Huber estimator can be adapted to the presence of endogeneity in a two stage equations setting similar to that of 2SLS. We propose an estimation procedure that is at the same time relatively (i) simple, (ii) robust and (iii) efficient. Moreover, we deal with the...

This paper introduces a new methodology to target direct transfers against poverty. Our method is based on observable correlates and on estimation methods that focus on the poor. Using data from Tunisia, we estimate ‘focused’ transfer schemes that improve anti-poverty targeting performances....

Euler-equation methods for solving nonlinear dynamic models involve parameterizing some policy functions. We argue that in the typical macroeconomic model with valuable leisure, labor function is particularly convenient for parameterizing. This is because under the labor-function...

Parametrized Expectation Algorithm (PEA) is a powerful tool for solving nonlinear stochastic dynamic models. However, it has an important shortcoming: it is not a contraction mapping technique and thus, does not guarantee finding the solution. We suggest a simple modification that enhances the...

Does a heterogeneous agents version of a neoclassical model with labor-leisure choice replicatethe distributions of consumption and working hours observed in the cross-sectional data? Doesincorporating heterogeneity enhance the aggregate performance of the representative agentmodel? We address...

Spatial price dispersion varies because of climatic fluctuations, marketimperfections, economic growth or economic policies. These variations areoften neglected in poverty studies.In this paper, we propose a simple simulation formula to assess the effecton poverty of a change in the spatial mean...

This paper modifies the standard one-sector growth model with uninsurable idiosyncratic risk and liquidity constraints to include multiple types of quasi-geometric consumers. For a calibrated version of the model, we show that a modest difference between the quasi-geometric discounting...