In selecting the preferred course of action, decision makers are often uncertain about one or more probabilities of interest. The experimental literature has ascertained that this uncertainty (ambiguity) might affect decision makers’ preferences. Then, the decision maker might wish to...

This paper explores the differences in observed risk propensity among petroleum firms and their impact on firm performance. In this work, we (1) develop a decision theoretic model which measures a firm's risk propensity in the form of an "implied" utility function; (2) investigate changes in...

Conservation reserve program (CRP) payments amount to several billion dollars annually. Payments are allocated to both remove land from production and to help farmers pay for conservation improvements. However, research examining whether farmers increase their utility with CRPs is limited. This...

This paper introduces a new method of estimating indifference curves in the Marschak-Machina triangle. The method involves posing questions about indifference. Contrary to previous attempts, where subjects were required to identify those lotteries to which they were indifferent vis-à-vis a...

Adequate funding of occupational pension plans is key to benefit security. Across countries different methods of securing funding exist: solvency requirements, a pension guarantee fund, and sponsor support. The key goal of this paper is to investigate the welfare implications to the beneficiary...

A random variable (RV) X is given aminimum selling price $$S_U \left( X \right):=\mathop {\sup }\limits_x \left\{ {x + EU\left( {X - x} \right)} \right\}$$ and amaximum buying price $$B_p \left( X \right):=\mathop {\inf }\limits_x \left\{ {x + EP\left( {X - x} \right)} \right\}$$ whereU(·)...

A random variable (RV) X is given aminimum selling price <Equation ID="E1"> <EquationSource Format="TEX"> $$S_U \left( X \right):=\mathop {\sup }\limits_x \left\{ {x + EU\left( {X - x} \right)} \right\}$$ </EquationSource> </Equation> and amaximum buying price <Equation ID="E2"> <EquationSource Format="TEX"> $$B_p \left( X \right):=\mathop {\inf }\limits_x \left\{ {x + EP\left( {X - x} \right)} \right\}$$ </EquationSource> </Equation>...</equationsource></equation></equationsource></equation>

In this paperwe relate individual risk attitude as elicited by binary lotteries and certainty equivalents to market behavior. By analyzing 26 independent markets with a total of 280 participants we show that binary lottery choices and certainty equivalents are pootly correlated. Only lottery...

The 2002 Farm Bill creates several opportunities for landowners to adopt management practices that protect and improve soil and water quality. Landowners considering enrollment in conservation programs must compare the monetary and nonmonetary costs and benefits from removing land from...