October 2018
Curriculum Vitae
Alexander K. Karaivanov
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Department of Economics |
+1 778 782 6694 |
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Simon Fraser University |
akaraiva@sfu.ca |
|
8888 University Drive |
http://www.sfu.ca/~akaraiva |
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Burnaby, BC, Canada |
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EMPLOYMENT
2015 – present Professor, Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University
2009 – 2015 Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University
2003 – 2009 Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University
2000 – 2002 Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Chicago
1997 – 2003 Research Assistant to D. Gale Johnson, Jaume Ventura, Robert Townsend
1999 – 2002 Teaching Assistant, Department of Economics, University of Chicago
Other professional affiliations
2011 – present Associate Editor, Journal of Development Economics
2011 – present Research Associate, ThReD
Education
2003 PhD Economics, University of Chicago, USA
research fields: growth and development; finance; money and banking
thesis: Financial Contracts and Occupational Choice
supervisors: Robert M. Townsend (chair), Philip Reny, Maitreesh Ghatak
1999 MA Economics, University of Chicago, USA
1997 BA Economics (honors), Sofia University, Bulgaria
1997 BA Business Administration, Hogeschool van Utrecht, The Netherlands
RESEARCH INTERESTS
development, financial markets and contracts, risk sharing, entrepreneurship, networks
RESEARCH
Journal articles
“Family Firms, Bank Relationships and Financial Constraints: A Comprehensive Score Card”, International Economic Review, forthcoming (with J. Saurina and R. Townsend)
“Markov-Perfect Risk Sharing, Moral Hazard and Limited Commitment”, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 94, p.1-23, 2018 (with F. Martin)
“(Dis)Advantages of Informal Loans – Theory and Evidence”, European Economic Review 102, p.100-128, 2018 (with A. Kessler)
“Non-Grant Microfinance, Incentives and Efficiency”, Applied Economics 50, p.2509-24, 2018
“Market Power and Asset Contractibility in Dynamic Insurance Contracts”, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review 98(2), p.111-27, 2016 (with F. Martin)
“Dynamic Optimal Insurance and Lack of Commitment”, Review of Economic Dynamics 18(2), p.287-305, 2015 (with F. Martin)
“Dynamic Financial Constraints: Distinguishing Mechanism Design from Exogenously Incomplete Regimes”, Econometrica 82(3), p.887-959, 2014 (with R. Townsend)
“Contractual Structure in Agriculture with Endogenous Matching”, Journal of Development Economics 110, p.239-49, 2014 (with M. Ghatak)
“Financial Constraints and Occupational Choice in Thai Villages”, Journal of Development Economics 97(2), p.201-20, 2012
“Learning by Doing vs. Learning from Others in a Principal-Agent Model”, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 34(10), p.1967-92, 2010 (with J. Arifovic)
“Heterogeneity, Returns to Scale, and Collective Action”, Canadian Journal of Economics 42(2), p.771-807, 2009
“Understanding Optimal Criminal Networks”, Global Crime 10, p.41-65, 2009 (with S. Easton)
“A Case for Bundling Public Goods Contributions”, Journal of Public Economic Theory 9(3), p.425-51, 2007 (with S. Ghosh and M. Oak)
“Can A Raise in Your Wage Make You Worse Off? A Public Goods Perspective”, Journal of Development Economics 84(1), p.551-71, 2007 (with S. Ghosh)
“Wealth Inequality and Collective Action”, Journal of Public Economics 91(9), p.1843-74, 2007 (with P. Bardhan and M. Ghatak)
“Distinguishing Limited Liability from Moral Hazard in a Model of Entrepreneurship”, Journal of Political Economy 144(1), p.104-44, 2006 (with A. Paulson and R. Townsend)
“Pareto Improving Lotteries and Voluntary Public Goods Provision”, The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics (Topics) 6(1), p.1-13, 2006
Refereed book chapters
“Social Learning in a Model of Adverse Selection”, in D. West, G. Dow, and A. Eckert (eds.) Industrial Organization, Trade, and Social Interaction: Essays in Honour of B. Curtis Eaton, University of Toronto Press, 2010 (with J. Arifovic)
“Inequality and Collective Action”, ch. 3 in J-M. Baland, P. Bardhan, and S. Bowles (eds.), Inequality, Collective Action and Environmental Sustainability, Princeton University Press, 2006 (with P. Bardhan and M. Ghatak)
Other publications
“Understanding Optimal Criminal Networks”, reprinted in M. Bouchard and C. Wilkins (eds.) Illegal Markets and the Economics of Organized Crime, Routledge, 2010 (with S. Easton)
“Distinguishing Limited Liability from Moral Hazard in a Model of Entrepreneurship”, reprinted as ch. 5 in T. Beck (ed.) Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009 (with A. Paulson and R. Townsend)
Working papers and work in progress
“Involuntary Entrepreneurship – Evidence from Thai Urban Data” (with T. Yindok), 2018
“Bogus Joint Liability Groups in Microfinance – Theory and Evidence from China” (with X. Xing and Y. Xue), 2018
“Credit lines in Microcredit: Evidence from the Mann Deshi Field Experiment” (with F. Aragon and K. Krishnaswamy), 2018
“Peer-to-peer markets and contracts”, in progress
“Blockchains and financial market imperfections”, in progress
“Economics of Crime Networks” (with R. Dastranj and S. Easton), working paper, 2017
“Distinguishing Across Models of International Capital Flows” (with M. Wright), working paper
“Social Insurance and Status” (with B. Xia)
“Development Dynamics with Credit Rationing and Occupational Choice”
“Computing Moral Hazard Programs with Lotteries Using Matlab”
INVITED PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS, ETC.
2018: UIBE-Beijing, Involuntary Entrepreneurship – Evidence from Thai Urban Data; Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD)
2017: American Economic Association (discussant); Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD); National University of Singapore, Singapore Management University, Georgia State University, Involuntary Entrepreneurship – Evidence from Thai Urban Data; Canadian Macroeconomics Study Group (discussant)
2016: University of Victoria, A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed? Theory and Evidence on the (Dis)Advantages of Informal Loans; Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD); Economics of Social Sector Organizations – University of Chicago (discussant)
2015: UC – Santa Cruz; University of Konstanz, A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed? Theory and Evidence on the (Dis)Advantages of Informal Loans; Theory and Measurement: Financial Systems and Economic Development – Chicago Fed and University of Chicago; Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD), Bogus Joint Liability Groups in Microfinance; Queen’s University, Markov-Perfect Risk Sharing with Moral Hazard and Limited Commitment
2014: Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD), A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed? Theory and Evidence on the (Dis)Advantages of Family Loans
2013: UC – Santa Barbara, Moral Hazard and Lack of Commitment in Dynamic Economies; Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD)
2012: Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD); Workshop on Macroeconomic Applications of Dynamic Games and Contracts – Stony Brook, Moral Hazard and Lack of Commitment in Dynamic Economies
2011: Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD); Savings and Financial Underpinnings of Macroeconomic Models workshop – Bretton Woods
2010: University of Victoria, Dynamic Financial Constraints: Distinguishing Mechanism Design from Exogenously Incomplete Regimes; University of Saskatchewan, No Bank, One Bank, Several Banks: Does it matter for investment?; Canadian Econometrics Study Group (discussant)
2008: University of Toulouse Workshop on Risk-sharing, UTCC and University of Chicago Innovations in Development Theory and Survey Data: Implications for Policy, Enterprise Dynamics and Finance: Distinguishing Mechanism Design from Exogenously Incomplete Markets Models
2006: London School of Economics Workshop on Public Organizations, A Case for Bundling Public Goods Contributions
2005: University of British Columbia, Distinguishing Moral Hazard from Limited Liability in a Model of Entrepreneurship
2003: World Bank, SUNY – Buffalo, Georgetown University, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Swedish Central Bank, McGill University, York University, Simon Fraser University, CERGE-EI, Financial Contracts and Occupational Choice
2001: University of Chicago Economic Theory workshop, Heterogeneity and Collective Action
CONFERENCES
2018: The Economics of Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain Technologies; Vienna Macroeconomics Workshop
2017: Society for Economic Dynamics; European Meeting of the Econometric Society, Family Firms, Bank Relationships and Financial Constraints: A Comprehensive Score Card; European Economic Association, Involuntary Entrepreneurship – Evidence from Thai Urban Data; Vienna Macroeconomics Workshop
2016: American Economic Association, Bogus Joint Liability Groups in Microfinance – Theory and Evidence from China; Computing in Economic and Finance, Markov-Perfect Risk Sharing with Moral Hazard and Limited Commitment; Society for Economic Dynamics, Asian Meeting of the Econometric Society, Involuntary Entrepreneurship – Evidence from Thai Urban Data; Vienna Macroeconomics Workshop
2015: Canadian Economic Association, Involuntary Entrepreneurship – Evidence from Thai Urban Data; Society for Economic Dynamics, World Congress of the Econometric Society, Bogus Joint Liability Groups in Microfinance, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2014: Canadian Economic Association, Bogus Joint Liability Groups in Microfinance; European Meeting of the Econometric Society, A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed? Theory and Evidence on the (Dis)Advantages of Family Loans; Vienna Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2013: Computing in Economics and Finance, Moral Hazard and Lack of Commitment in Dynamic Economies
2012: Canadian Economic Association, Contractual Structure in Agriculture with Endogenous Matching; Econometric Society Australasian Meeting, Dynamic Financial Constraints: Distinguishing Mechanism Design from Exogenously Incomplete Regimes; Vienna Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2011: Computing in Economics and Finance, Individual Learning in Principal-Agent Models; Asian Meeting of the Econometric Society, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop, Distinguishing Across Models of International Capital Flows
2010: Canadian Economic Association, Distinguishing Across Models of International Capital Flows; Society for Economic Dynamics, The Econometric Society World Congress, No Bank, One Bank, Several Banks: Does it matter for investment?; Vienna Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2009: Association for Public Economic Theory, Dynamic Optimal Insurance and Lack of Commitment; Society for Economic Dynamics, Distinguishing Across Models of International Capital Flows; Far-Eastern Meeting of the Econometric Society, Formal Financial Sector Access for Older Firms; Does it Matter for Investment?; European Meeting of the Econometric Society, Enterprise Dynamics and Finance: Distinguishing Mechanism Design from Exogenously Incomplete Markets Models; Vienna Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2008: Society for Economic Dynamics, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop, Enterprise Dynamics and Finance: Distinguishing Mechanism Design from Exogenously Incomplete Markets Models
2007: Far-Eastern Meeting of the Econometric Society, Dynamic Optimal Insurance and Lack of Commitment; Canadian Economic Association, Economics of Crime Networks; Vienna Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2006: Society for Economic Dynamics, Evolutionary Learning in a Principal-Agent Model; Association for Public Economic Theory, A Case for Bundling Public Goods Contributions
2005: The Econometric Society World Congress, Canadian Economic Association, Can A Raise in Your Wage Make You Worse Off? A Public Goods Perspective; Society for Economic Dynamics, Firm Entry and Finance: Distinguishing Information Regimes; Canadian Public Economics Group, A Case for Bundling Public Goods Contributions?
2004: Association for Public Economic Theory, Heterogeneity, Returns to Scale, and Collective Action
2003: Computing in Economics and Finance, Financial Contracts and Occupational Choice
2002: North-East Universities Development Consortuim (NEUDC), Financial Contracts Structure and Occupational Choice
RESEARCH GRANTS
2018 – 2022 SSHRC Insight Grant, “Contracts and Markets in the New Digital Economy: Theory, Data Analysis and Policy”, principal investigator, $77,740
2013 – 2017 SSHRC Insight Grant, “Obstacles to Credit, Risk Sharing, and Investment in Developing Communities – A Dynamic Structural Approach to Measurement and Policy Evaluation”, principal investigator, $83,412
2009 – 2013 SSHRC Standard Research Grant, “Distinguishing Across Models of Incomplete Markets”, principal investigator, $64,000
2006 – 2009 SSHRC Standard Research Grant, “Financial Market Imperfections: Theory, Estimation, Policy”, principal investigator, $60,392
2005 – 2007 SSHRC/SFU Institutional Grant, “The Economic Structure of Crime Networks” (with S. Easton), joint investigator, $5,000
2003 – 2005 President’s Research Grant, Simon Fraser University, $9,950
2005 SSHRC/SFU Travel Grant, Econometric Society World Congress, $1,500
2003 – 2004 New Faculty Start-up Research Grant, Simon Fraser University, $10,000
TEACHING
Simon Fraser University (2003 – present)
graduate: Microeconomic theory (Econ 802), Theories of economic development (Econ 855), Introduction to mathematical economics (Econ 798); Directed readings in development and contract theory (Econ 921)
undergraduate: Intermediate microeconomic theory (Econ 301/201), Seminar in economic development (Econ 455), Economic development (Econ 355)
University of Chicago (2000 – 2002)
graduate: Introduction to mathematical methods in economics (PhD ‘math camp’)
undergraduate: Elements of economic analysis II (intermediate micro), Elements of economic analysis IV (intermediate macro)
STUDENTS
PhD senior supervisor
· Shiqu Zhou, in progress
· Natt Hongdilokkul, “Essays on development economics and health economics”, 2017, Stanford (post-doc)
· Tenzin Yindok, “Essays on entrepreneurship in developing economies”, 2016, Colgate University
· Rogayeh Tabrizi, “Essays on social and economic networks”, 2016, IT industry
· Ideen Riahi, “Essays on institutions and development”, 2014, CUNY – Baruch College
· Georgi Boichev, “Essays on social capital and state capacity: Tracing the origins of the welfare state”, 2014, University of Regina (post-doc)
· Xuefei Wang, “Essays on economic development”, 2012, Central University for Finance and Economics
PhD supervisor
· Yaser Sattari, in progress
· Duman Bahrami-Rad, “The origins and consequences of kin networks and marriage practices”, 2018, Harvard (post-doc)
· Xiaowen Lei, “Three Essays on Macroeconomics and Wealth Distribution”, 2018, Oxford (post-doc)
· Xianjuan Chen, “Essays on the effects of China's one-child policy on economic development”, 2016, Sichuan University
· Hagen Schwerin, “Technology-specific capacity and the environment”, 2013, ETH Zurich (post-doc)
· Yu Fu, “Three essays on development economics and environmental economics”, 2012, Beedie School of Business (post-doc)
· Pierre Nguimkeu, “Essays in econometrics and entrepreneurship”, 2012, Georgia State University
· Bianjun Xia , “Essays on time preference anomalies, intertemporal choice, insurance and status”, 2011, Zhejiang University
· Mei Dong, “Essays on monetary economics”, 2009, Bank of Canada
· Yi Xue, “Essays on market microstructure and financial econometrics”, 2009, University of International Business and Economics
· Michael Maschek, “Applications of evolutionary learning in macroeconomic models”, 2005, University of the Fraser Valley
MA senior supervisor
· Justin Wiltshire, “Does access to microcredit lead to agricultural productivity gains?”, 2013
· Aparna Howlader, “Short run and long run impacts of Thailand's Million Baht village fund”, 2012
· Jessica Courtney, “A new approach to rural electrification”, 2011
· Tenzin Yindok, “Educational inequalities across social groups in India”, 2009
· Shauna McAulay-Bax, “Child labour in a transition economy: Evidence from Albania”, 2008
· Pedro Bento, “Competition as discovery procedure: Hayek in a model of innovations”, 2007
· Michael Siemer, “Labor markets and internal migration in developing countries”, 2007
· Tunde Tiponut, “The effects of globalization on developing countries, with particular attention to poverty levels”, 2007
· Kumi Harischandra, “Ethnic diversity and inequality: a cross-country analysis”, 2007
· Xinye Zhang, “Performance, persistence and survivorship bias of Canadian equity funds 2001-2005”, 2006
· Simon Demers, “Loyalty, competence and exogenous constraints in authoritarian regimes”, 2005
MA supervisor
2011: Celene Chan; 2008: Lindsay Donders, Nikolaus Kasimatis; 2007: Nuowen Deng; 2006: Na Rong; 2005: Kristin Dust, Sultan Orazbayev
SERVICE
Referee
Journals: Econometrica, Journal of Political Economy, American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Review of Economic Studies, Economic Journal, International Economic Review, Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Public Economics, Journal of Economic Theory, Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Review, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, World Development, Economic Development and Cultural Change, Canadian Journal of Economics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Macroeconomic Dynamics, Economics Letters, Economica, Journal of Public Economic Theory, Economic Inquiry, Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics, Journal of Economics and Management Strategy, B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, Oxford Economic Papers, The Economics of Transition, Social Choice and Welfare, Operations Research
Research Proposals: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Committee member
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Economics, 2010/11
Selected department service
Graduate program chair: Jan. 2018 - present
Associate department chair: 2014/15
Appointments: 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2016/17
Tenure and promotions: 2012/13, 2013/14; 2016 (ad hoc)
Seminars: 2003/04, 2016/17
Chair search: 2006, 2016
Brown bag seminar: 2004 to 2009
AWARDS
2002 – 2003 William and Flora Hewlett Foundation fellowship, NORC and University of Chicago
2001 – 2002 T. W. Schultz Dissertation fellowship, University of Chicago
1999 Lee Prize for best Money and Banking field paper, University of Chicago
1997 – 2001 University of Chicago full tuition scholarship and stipend
1997 – 2000 International House of Chicago residential fellowship
1993 – 1997 Bulgarian government stipend for academic achievement
1994 – 1995 Atanas Burov Foundation scholarship
1993
first
reserve, Bulgarian national team, 34th International
Mathematical Olympiad
(the six-person
team placed 3rd
out of 73 participating countries)
1992 1st prize, Bulgarian national mathematics competition