Research
Research in the EERI is organised around eight thematic groups. All research groups consist of academics with established international reputations. EERI's research activities are supported by the facilities of the participating universities and external funds, such as European Commission and national governments.
Research in Comparative
Institutional Economics
The group focuses on current research in institutional economics
and closely related research in fields such as economic
transition, economic development, economic theory, law and
economics, political economics, and economic history. Topics
include both theoretical analysis of institutions and empirical
studies of the effects and determinants of institutions.
Research in Econometrics
The research in Econometrics focuses on both theoretical and
applied econometric research. Topics include estimation and
testing of spatial and panel models, qualitative choice models,
dynamic nonlinear models, rational expectations models,
stationary time series models, and integrated and co-integrated
processes.
Research in Industrial Organization
The research in Industrial Organisation focuses on the economics
of market structure, the role of mergers and merger policy,
technological change and diffusion, advertising, the economics
of the retail sector, and antitrust policy.
Research in International, Development, and Comparative
Economics
All aspects of international economics, including the economics
of developing countries and comparative systems, are covered in
the International, Development, and Comparative Economics group.
Topics include European security and economic development, the
theoretical underpinning of share tenancy contracts,
international debt problems, foreign-exchange markets, trade
theory and commercial policies, economies of scale and trade,
impact of increasing integration by the European Community,
incentives in socialist systems, and the break-up of the
labour-managed system in Former Soviet Union.
Research in Labour Economics
The research in Labour Economics is focused on theoretical and
empirical research on labour markets and the distribution of
income and opportunity. Topics include employer behaviour, work
and family issues, the structure of earnings, discrimination,
unions and collective bargaining, and unemployment. Substantial
attention is devoted to the analysis of labour market policy
issues.
Research in Macroeconomics and Growth
Analysis of business cycle fluctuations and longer term economic
growth issues are the focus of this research group. Topics
covered include microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic
behaviour, individual rationality, expectations formation, real
and nominal business cycle models, fiscal and monetary policy,
the determinants of productivity and growth, and open economy
macroeconomic issues.
Research in Microeconomic Theory
This research group focuses on current issues in microeconomic
theory with a particular emphasis on game theory and the
economics of information.
Research in Public Economics
The research in Public Economics involves a large group of
faculty and students from the participating universities working
on public finance, public choice, and public sector economics.
Recent research in this group has
focused, for example, on the theory of clubs and the
organisation of local government, fiscal federalism and
competition among jurisdictions, production functions for
education and other public services, tax incidence, voting
models and the theory of collective choice, and the theory of
constitutions, referenda, and political decision-making.