On exactness and isoperimetric profiles of discrete groups

We introduce a quasi-isometry invariant related to Property A and explore its connections to various other invariants of finitely generated groups. This allows to establish a direct relation between asymptotic dimension on one hand and isoperimetry and random walks on the other. We apply these results to reprove sharp estimates on isoperimetric profiles of some groups and to answer some questions in dimension theory. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.