This paper explores the connection between "zombie" firms (firms that would typically exit in a competitive market) and bank health and the consequences for aggregate productivity in 11 European countries. Controlling for cyclical effects, the results show that zombie firms are more likely to be...

We propose an extension of the incomplete markets general equilibrium model with production to situations in which firms default. In the model, firms are assumed to be owned by a single individual whose roles as entrepreneur and consumer are anonymous. Assets are exogenously collateralised and...

This paper studies the implications of perceived default risk for aggregate output and productivity. Using a model of credit contracts with moral hazard, we show that a firm's probability of default is a sufficient statistic for capital allocation. The theoretical framework suggests an aggregate...