Ambiguity aversion and the absence of wage indexation

Abstract

This paper analyzes optimal wage contracting assuming agents are not subjective expectedutility maximizers but are, instead, ambiguity (or uncertainty) averse decision makers whomaximize Choquet expected utility. We show that such agents will choose not to include anyindexation coverage in their wage contracts even when inflation is uncertain, unless theperceived inflation uncertainty is high enough. Significantly, the exercise does not presume anyexogenous costs (e.g., transactions costs) of including indexation linksambiguity aversion; indexation