A Principal-Agent model in which the principal and the agent are ambiguity averse is examined. A novel role for the optimal contract is to induce a speci c partition of the state space for the agent as a means of manipulating the ambiguity he faces, thereby providing more efficient contracting....

A Principal-Agent model is examined in which the principal and the agent are ambiguity averse. With a risk neutral principal and a risk averse agent the presence of ambiguity aversion implies that the principal will not always fully insure the agent when effort is observable. Instead, risk may...

The new issues market is used to examine the impact of ambiguity and ambiguity aversion on the pricing of financial assets. An IPO process is modeled assuming ambiguity regarding the returns on financial assets and risk and ambiguity aversion on the part of agents. Theoretically, the underwriter...

We derive a model of bond pricing under ambiguity, showing that ambiguity interacts with risk to determine spreads. Since default is an inherently "unfavorable" outcome, ambiguity-averse bondholders overweigh its probability and demand higher yields for bonds with higher ambiguity.Empirically,...

This paper develops a micro-founded general equilibrium model of the financial system composed of ultimate borrowers, ultimate lenders and financial intermediaries. The model is used to investigate the impact ofuncertainty about the likelihood of governmental bailouts on leverage,interest rates,...

Assuming that probabilities (capacities) of events are random, this paper introduces a novel model of decision making under ambiguity, called Shadow probability theory, a generalization of the Choquet expected utility. In this model, probabilities of observable events in a subordinated...

This paper develops a micro-founded general equilibrium model of the financial system composed of ultimate borrowers, ultimate lenders and financial intermediaries. The model is used to investigate the impact of uncertainty about the likelihood of governmental bailouts on leverage, interest...

With a focus on risk, classical portfolio theory assumes that probabilities of future outcomes are known. In reality, however, there is ambiguity in these probabilities. This paper studies the nature of the relationship between risk and ambiguity and proves that in most cases ambiguity cannot be...

Asset pricing models assume that probabilities of future outcomes are known. In reality, however, there is ambiguity with regard to these probabilities. Accounting for ambiguity in asset pricing theory results in a model with two systematic components, beta risk and beta ambiguity. The focus of...