Working papers

Abstract In this paper, I introduce a workable dynamic utility model on the interplay between economic actions and social roles. I model both how economic actions are embedded in social roles, and how social roles reciprocally feed back into preferences and affect economic outcomes. I also consider a set of policy interventions aimed at breaking social roles when they deteriorate economic outcomes.
Keywords Discrimination, Gender, Endogenous preferences, Identity, Social roles
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Abstract This survey paper reviews the recent Bayesian literature on poverty measurement. After introducing Bayesian statistics, we show how Bayesian model criticism could help to revise the international poverty line. Using mixtures of lognormals to model income, we derive the posterior distribution for the FGT, Watts and Sen poverty indices, then for TIP curves (with an illustration on child poverty in Germany) and finally for Growth Incidence Curves. The relation of restricted stochastic dominance with TIP and GIC dominance is detailed with an example on UK data. Using panel data, we show how to decompose poverty into total, chronic and transient poverty, comparing child and adult poverty in East Germany when redistribution is introduced. When a panel is not available, a Gibbs sampler is used to build a pseudo panel. We illustrate poverty dynamics by examining the consequences of the Wall on poverty entry and poverty persistence in occupied West Bank.
Keywords Poverty dynamics, Stochastic dominance, Poverty indices, Mixture model, Bayesian inference
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Abstract This chapter reviews the recent Bayesian literature on poverty measurement together with some new results. Using Bayesian model criticism, we revise the international poverty line. Using mixtures of lognormals to model income, we derive the posterior distribution for the FGT, Watts and Sen poverty indices, for TIP curves (with an illustration on child poverty in Germany) and for Growth Incidence Curves. The relation of restricted stochastic dominance with TIP and GIC dominance is detailed with an example based on UK data. Using panel data, we decompose poverty into total, chronic and transient poverty, comparing child and adult poverty in East Germany when redistribution is introduced. When panel data are not available, a Gibbs sampler can be used to build a pseudo panel. We illustrate poverty dynamics by examining the consequences of the Wall on poverty entry and poverty persistence in occupied West Bank.
Keywords Poverty dynamics, Stochastic dominance, Poverty indices, Mixture model, Bayesian inference
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Abstract Background: Given the importance of continuous follow-up of chronic patients, we evaluated performance of French private practice general practitioners (GPs) practicing in multi-professional group practices (MGP), compared to their peers practicing outside MGP, regarding chronic care management during rst Covid-19 lockdown in spring 2020. Methods: The cross-sectional web questionnaire of 1,191 GPs took place in April 2020. We exploit self-reported data on: 1) frequency of consultations for chronic patients during lockdown compared to their typical week before the pandemic, along with 2) GPs proactive behaviour when contacting their chronic patients. We use probit and seemingly unrelated probit models (adjusted for endogeneity of choice of engagement in MGP) to test whether GPs in MGP had signicantly dierent responses to the Covid-19 crisis. Results: We nd that GPs in MGP were less likely to experience a drop in consultations related to complications of chronic diseases. They were also more proactive to contact their chronic patients. Conclusions: Quick policy response is needed to alleviate diculties encountered by GP practicing outside MGPs. Results advocate for further development of integrated care in the long run.
Keywords General practitioners, France, Provider-sponsored organizations, Long-term care
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Abstract The growth incidence curve of Ravallion and Chen (2003) is based on the quantile function. Its distribution-free estimator behaves erratically with usual sample sizes leading to problems in the tails. We propose a series of parametric models in a Bayesian framework. A first solution consists in modelling the underlying income distribution using simple densities for which the quantile function has a closed analytical form. This solution is extended by considering a mixture model for the underlying income distribution. However in this case, the quantile function is semi-explicit and has to be evaluated numerically. The alternative solution consists in adjusting directly a functional form for the Lorenz curve and deriving its first order derivative to find the corresponding quantile function. We compare these models first by Monte Carlo simulations and second by using UK data from the Family Expenditure Survey where we devote a particular attention to the analysis of subgroups.
Keywords Bayesian inference, Growth incidence curve, Inequality
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Abstract We investigate the effect of changing ENSO patterns on global commodity prices, including energy, metals/minerals and agriculture real commodity price subsets, while controlling for global economic output and interest rate via a global factor local projections (GFALP) model. We study the responses to climate shocks using a nonlinear multivariate model to assess differential effects across ENSO climate regimes. We find that commodity inflation is reactive to El Niño and La Niña events, but that this sensitivity can occur either in the short-or long-term depending on the commodity under investigation. For commodities in agriculture, we uncover an asymmetric influence of El Niño and La Niña shocks. More central banks are questioning whether climate change is part of their mission to stabilize prices. Our results indicate the existence of a direct link between weather anomalies and commodity inflation, one that should be integrated into the central banks' inflation targeting framework.
Keywords Agriculture, Energy, Commodity Price, Weather, ENSO
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Abstract We study zero-sum repeated games where the minimizing player has to pay a certain cost each time he changes his action. Our contribution is twofold. First, we show that the value of the game exists in stationary strategies, depending solely on the previous action of the minimizing player, not the entire history. We provide a full characterization of the value and the optimal strategies. The strategies exhibit a robustness property and typically do not change with a small perturbation of the switching costs. Second, we consider a case where the minimizing player is limited to playing simpler strategies that are completely history-independent. Here too, we provide a full characterization of the (minimax) value and the strategies for obtaining it. Moreover, we present several bounds on the loss due to this limitation.
Keywords Switching Costs, Repeated Games, Stochastic Games, Zero-sum games
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Abstract We study whether fiscal policies, especially public debt, can help to curb the macroeconomic and health consequences of epidemics. Our approach is based on three main features: we introduce the dynamics of epidemics in an overlapping generations model to take into account that old people are more vulnerable; people are more easily infected when pollution is high; public spending and public debt can be used to tackle the effects of epidemics. We show that fiscal policies can promote the convergence to a stable steady state with no epidemics. When public policies are not able to permanently eradicate the epidemic, public debt and income transfers could reduce the number of infected people and increase capital and GDP per capita. As a prerequisite, pollution intensity should not be too high. Finally, we define a household subsidy policy which eliminates income and welfare inequalities between healthy and infected individuals.
Keywords Overlapping generations, Pollution, Epidemics, Public debt
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Abstract We study whether fiscal policies, especially public debt, can help to curb the macroeconomic and health consequences of epidemics. Our approach is based on three main features: we introduce the dynamics of epidemics in an overlapping generations model to take into account that old people are more vulnerable; people are more easily infected when pollution is high; public spending and public debt can be used to tackle the effects of epidemics. We show that fiscal policies can promote the convergence to a stable steady state with no epidemics. When public policies are not able to permanently eradicate the epidemic, public debt and income transfers could reduce the number of infected people and increase capital and GDP per capita. As a prerequisite, pollution intensity should not be too high. Finally, we define a household subsidy policy which eliminates income and welfare inequalities between healthy and infected individuals.
Keywords Public debt, Epidemics, Pollution, Overlapping generations
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Abstract We study whether fiscal policies, especially public debt, can help to curb the macroeconomic and health consequences of epidemics. Our approach is based on three main features: we introduce the dynamics of epidemics in an overlapping generations model to take into account that old people are more vulnerable; people are more easily infected when pollution is high; public spending and public debt can be used to tackle the effects of epidemics. We show that fiscal policies can promote the convergence to a stable steady state with no epidemics. When public policies are not able to permanently eradicate the epidemic, public debt and income transfers could reduce the number of infected people and increase capital and GDP per capita. As a prerequisite, pollution intensity should not be too high. Finally, we define a household subsidy policy which eliminates income and welfare inequalities between healthy and infected individuals.
Keywords Public debt, Epidemics, Pollution, Overlapping generations
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