Prevailing economic models of consumer behavior completely ignore the well-documented link between context and evaluation. We propose and test a theory that explicitly incorporates this link. Changes in one group's spending shift the frame of reference that defines consumption standards for...

In this paper we revisit the literature on the economic consequences from inefficiency in public services provision. Following Dupuit (1844) and Pigou (1947) we argue that it is important to take the financing side explicitly into account. The fact that public expenditure financing must rely on...

In this paper we revisit the literature on the economic implications of inefficiency in public services provision. Most authors emphasize the need of changing public sector management practices and the scope of activities carried out by general government. Following Dupuit (1844) and Pigou...

Household debt rose sharply in the United Kingdom in the decade before the financial crisis. This paper uses household level microdata to investigate the relationship between mortgage debt and consumption. We find evidence that more highly indebted groups of households made larger cuts in...

This paper studies the infinite horizon optimal consumption with a path-dependent reference under the exponential utility. The performance is measured by the difference between the non-negative consumption rate and a fraction of the historical consumption maximum. The consumption running maximum...