Before 2007, financial crises were not widely studied in economics and finance. The lack of importance ascribed to financial stability and our limited knowledge of this topic were significant contributors to the crisis. This paper suggests five areas where new theories are needed. These are...

This introduces the symposium on financial economics.

AbstractThe following sections are included:IntroductionExamples of Alternative Mechanisms and Problems with the Legal SystemAlternative Mechanisms in China and IndiaAlternative Mechanisms Can Work in Complicated TransactionsIntellectual Property Rights and InnovationsLimited Capacity of the...

With extensive cross-country datasets and India firm samples, as well as our own surveys of small and medium firms, we examine the legal and business environments, financing channels, and growth patterns of different types of firms in India. Despite the English common-law origin and a...

Financial crises have occurred for many centuries. They are often preceded by a credit boom and a rise in real estate and other asset prices, as in the current crisis. They are also often associated with severe disruption in the real economy. This paper surveys the theoretical and empirical...