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Risk and Return in Village Economies

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  • Krislert Samphantharak
  • Robert M. Townsend

Abstract

This paper provides a theory-based empirical framework for understanding the risk and return on productive capital assets and their allocation across activities in an economy characterized by idiosyncratic and aggregate risk and thin formal markets for real and financial assets. We apply our framework to households running business enterprises in Thai villages with extensive networks, taking advantage of panel data: income, assets, consumption, gifts, and loans. We decompose risk and estimate the risk premia faced by households, distinguishing aggregate risk from idiosyncratic, potentially diversifiable risk. This distinction matters for estimating measures of underlying productivity and has important policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Krislert Samphantharak & Robert M. Townsend, 2018. "Risk and Return in Village Economies," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(1), pages 1-40, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:10:y:2018:i:1:p:1-40
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/mic.20160125
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    Cited by:

    1. C. Rashaad Shabab, 2021. "Local droughts and income risk among Thai households," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 2084-2112, November.
    2. Sof'a Gallardo & Carlos Madeira, 2022. "The role of financial surveys for economic research and policy making in emerging markets," Chapters, in: Duc K. Nguyen (ed.), Handbook of Banking and Finance in Emerging Markets, chapter 36, pages 676-686, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Warn N. Lekfuangfu & Suphanit Piyapromdee & Ponpoje Porapakkarm & Nada Wasi, 2020. "On Covid-19: New Implications of Job Task Requirements and Spouse's Occupational Sorting," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 2012, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    4. Konstantinos Angelopoulos & Spyridon Lazarakis & Rebecca Mancy & Dorice Agol & Elissaios Papyrakis, 2023. "Resource Risk and the Origins of Inequality: Evidence from a Pastoralist Economy," CESifo Working Paper Series 10611, CESifo.
    5. Woodruff, Christopher & De Mel, Suresh & McKenzie, David, 2019. "Micro-equity for Microenterprises," CEPR Discussion Papers 13698, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Anderberg, Dan & Morsink, Karlijn, 2020. "The introduction of formal insurance and its effect on redistribution," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 22-45.
    7. Cynthia Kinnan & Krislert Samphantharak & Robert Townsend & Diego Vera-Cossio, 2019. "Insurance and Propagation in Village Networks," PIER Discussion Papers 115, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    8. Dan Anderberg & Karlijn Marsink, 2019. "The introduction of formal insurance and its effect on redistribution," CESifo Working Paper Series 7596, CESifo.
    9. Gulesci, Selim & Battaglia, Marianna & Madestam, Andreas, 2018. "Repayment Flexibility and Risk Taking: Experimental Evidence from Credit Contracts," CEPR Discussion Papers 13329, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. Alexander Karaivanov & Benoit Mojon & Luiz Awazu Pereira da Silva & Robert M Townsend, 2023. "Digital safety nets: a roadmap," BIS Papers, Bank for International Settlements, number 139.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure

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