Public debt and aggregate risk

This paper assesses the long-run optimal level of public debt in a framework where aggregate fluctuations are taken into account. Households are subject to both aggregate and idiosyncratic shocks and the market structure prevents them from perfectly insuring against risk. We find that the long-run optimal level of public debt is generally higher in a setting embedding aggregate fluctuations than in a setting without. Aggregate fluctuations modify both the cost and the motive for precautionary saving. Higher levels of public debt, by effectively reducing the cost of precautionary saving, help agents to smooth consumption when they face price and employment fluctuations.Public debt, aggregate risk, precautionary saving, credit constraints.

Entrepreneurship, Labor Market Mobility and the Role of Entrepreneurial Insurance

This paper introduces a quantitative model with risky entrepreneurship and search frictions matching the occupational flows between entrepreneurship, paid-employment, and unemployment. We account for the general shape of these flows and key entrepreneurial and labor market features based mostly on micro CPS and SCF data. Using this model, we show that an insurance providing Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) policy mitigates the bias disfavoring self-employment inherent in unemployment insurance programs. Moreover, ability-dependent SEA programs select more productive and wealthier new entrepreneurs out of unemployment. Finally, we show that the interaction between UI design and SEA programs has a significant impact on entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship, Labor Market Mobility and the Role of Entrepreneurial Insurance

This paper introduces a quantitative model with risky entrepreneurship and search frictions matching the occupational flows between entrepreneurship, paid-employment, and unemployment. We account for the general shape of these flows and key entrepreneurial and labor market features based mostly on micro CPS and SCF data. Using this model, we show that an insurance providing Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) policy mitigates the bias disfavoring self-employment inherent in unemployment insurance programs. Moreover, ability-dependent SEA programs select more productive and wealthier new entrepreneurs out of unemployment. Finally, we show that the interaction between UI design and SEA programs has a significant impact on entrepreneurship

Public debt and aggregate risk

In this paper, we investigate the importance of aggregate fluctuations for the assessment of the optimal level of public debt in an incomplete markets economy. We start by building a steady state model in which households are only subject to uninsurable idiosyncratic risk and evaluate the optimal level of public debt. We then augment the model to allow for aggregate risk and measure the impact on the optimal level. We show that the cyclical behavior of the economy has a quantitative impact on this level that can be decomposed into the effects of the aggregate productivity shock and the cyclicality of unemployment. Moreover, we find that matching wealth distribution statistics substantially changes the optimal level of public debt

Public debt and aggregate risk

In this paper, we investigate the importance of aggregate fluctuations for the assessment of the optimal level of public debt in an incomplete markets economy. We start by building a steady state model in which households are only subject to uninsurable idiosyncratic risk and evaluate the optimal level of public debt. We then augment the model to allow for aggregate risk and measure the impact on the optimal level. We show that the cyclical behavior of the economy has a quantitative impact on this level that can be decomposed into the effects of the aggregate productivity shock and the cyclicality of unemployment. Moreover, we find that matching wealth distribution statistics substantially changes the optimal level of public debt

Entrepreneurship and Labor Market Mobility: the Role of Unemployment Insurance

We evaluate the effects of unemployment insurance variations in a general equilibrium occupational choice model of entrepreneurship. We establish that the occupational flow from unemployment to entrepreneurship is remarkably sensitive to unemployment insurance generosity, corroborating our empirical findings. Beyond direct effects on unemployment, we find large reallocations between employment and entrepreneurship relative to changes in generosity. They contribute to an empirically consistent stable aggregate employment rate, despite increasing unemployment. We show that an insurance coverage effect, i.e. a change in the relative riskiness between occupations with respect to generosity, is a key driver of our results

Buying and Selling Entrepreneurial Assets

This paper introduces a theory of entrepreneurial assets transfer consistent with empirical evidence and centered around a business for sale market that values firms based on their intangible assets. We consider the key endogenous entrepreneurial choices to purchase, found, sell or liquidate business assets and the equilibrium price designed to capture both the intertemporal and the intangible value of a firm. We distinguish earlystage and mature firms as the latter are less likely to fail, make higher profits and face less stringent financial constraints. We argue that maturity translates the intangible value of a firm. We discipline our model using U.S. surveys and a new dataset of business selling transactions. We show that the absence of the business for sale market leads to a severe drop in aggregate output. Then, decomposing the effects of maturity, we show how they shape aggregate outcomes and wealth concentration

Buying and Selling Entrepreneurial Assets

This paper introduces a theory of entrepreneurial assets transfer consistent with empirical evidence and centered around a business for sale market that values firms based on their intangible assets. We consider the key endogenous entrepreneurial choices to purchase, found, sell or liquidate business assets and the equilibrium price designed to capture both the intertemporal and the intangible value of a firm. We distinguish earlystage and mature firms as the latter are less likely to fail, make higher profits and face less stringent financial constraints. We argue that maturity translates the intangible value of a firm. We discipline our model using U.S. surveys and a new dataset of business selling transactions. We show that the absence of the business for sale market leads to a severe drop in aggregate output. Then, decomposing the effects of maturity, we show how they shape aggregate outcomes and wealth concentration

Optimalité de la dette publique dans une économie à marchés incomplets

This doctoral dissertation has for main focus the analysis of the optimal level of public debt in an economy where agents face idiosyncratic risk, credit constraints and can only partially insure against future risks because of incomplete markets. It extends the existing literature with three original contributions. The first chapter investigates the optimal level of public debt in presence of macroeconomic fluctuations. The second chapter models a stylized economy with entrepreneurial and working households and determines the impact on the optimal level of public debt. The third and last chapter revisits the optimal level of public debt in a time-consistent economy where the government does not have access to a commitment technology. Through these three chapters, this dissertation presents a set of elements that helps to better understand and define public debt policies.Cette thèse de doctorat a pour but l'analyse de la dette publique optimale dans une économie où les agents sont confrontés à du risque idiosyncrasique, des contraintes de crédit et ne peuvent parfaitement s'assurer à cause de l'incomplétude des marchés d'assurance. Elle étend la littérature à travers trois contributions originales. Le chapitre premier est consacré à la détermination de la dette optimale en présence de fluctuations macroéconomiques. Le chapitre second introduit des ménages entrepreneuriaux et en analyse l'impact sur le niveau de dette optimal. Le troisième et dernier chapitre se propose d'explorer l'analyse du niveau de dette optimal dans une économie en l'État ne dispose pas d'une technologie d'engagement. A travers ces trois chapitres, cette thèse présente un ensemble d'ingrédients et d'effets qui contribuent à mieux comprendre et mieux définir les politiques de dette publique