In this paper we critically examine the main workhorse model in asset pricing theory, the Lucas (1978) tree model (LT-Model), extended to include heterogeneous agents and multiple goods, and contrast it to the benchmark model in financial equilibrium theory, the real assets model (RA-Model)....

The existing theoretical analysis of microfinance focuses on the nature of the loan contract such as group liability. We draw attention to the role of missing or imperfect labor market in understanding some of the important `second generation' debates in microfinance. Our analysis helps explain...

This paper analyzes a social insurance system that integrates unemploymentinsurance with a pension program through an individual account, allowingworkers to borrow against their future wage income to finance consumptionduring an unemployment episode and thus improving their search...