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Workshops
Latest and Forthcoming Workshops
Empirical Evidence on Firms and International Trade, South African Reserve Bank Conference Centre, 29-30 March 2010
One of the most exciting developments in the field of international trade in recent years has been the increased attention given to the heterogeneity of firms. Empirical evidence has demonstrated that only a minority of firms are involved with international trade, and that the firms that do trade are different in significant ways from other firms. Theoretical models have been developed that incorporate different types of firm, and trade economists have considered how the distribution of firms changes as economies become more open to international trade. The purpose of the current workshop is to outline and review this body of work.
More information.
Reading List.
Papers for download
Firms and International Trade
Firms in International Trade
Comparative Advantage and Heterogeneous Firms
Multiple-Product Firms and Product Switching
2010 Workshops
Introduction to Economy-Wide Impact Analysis and Modelling, TIPS Office, Pretoria, 15-26 March 2010
TIPS will hold a workshop combining both Economy-Wide Policy Impact Analysis (Part I) and CGE modelling (Part II). The workshop is structured so that participants can select whether to attend the whole workshop, to complete only that part dealing with Economy-Wide Policy Impact Analysis or, if they have the background, to attend only the latter part dealing with CGE models. The workshop is designed and presented by experts in the field of economy-wide policy modelling. It integrates theory, real world data, hands-on computer work and real world application. More information
Workshop on Spatial Regression Discontinuity, University of Stellenbosch, 4-5 March 2010
This workshop will cover theory and applications of traditional Regression Discontinuity with Jeremy Magruder. Jeremy Magruder is a recent PhD graduate from Yale University, who has worked extensively on South African research questions. More information.
Impact of the Current Crisis on Development Thinking, Wits University, 22 February 2010
Prof Bheki Sibiya, Director and Head of Wits Business School, cordially invites you to a discussion on the Impact of the Current Crisis on Development Thinking with Prof. John Williamson, Creator of the Washington Consensus. This event is sponsored by ERSA. More information.
Monetary and Financial Integration in Africa, University of Fort Hare, 3rd and 4th of February 2010
ERSA is organising a two-day workshop to examine critically the challenges of monetary and financial integration in Africa. The workshop will examine the challenges and opportunities of financial integration in African, review the state of existing research and identify areas for future analysis. The workshop will feature invited papers, a guest lecture and roundtable discussion of the issues. More information. Download the Presentation by Wilko Bolt - Payment Systems in the Integration Process.
2009 Workshops
Slavery and Economic History research in South Africa - An ERSA Research Workshop, 16 – 18 November 2009
The fourth ERSA Economic History Workshop in November will focus on African colonial history with an emphasis on the issue of African slavery. It will also provide us with an opportunity to finalize details about papers for a possible publication on the incorporation of 'new economic history' and its techniques and questions to the Southern African debates. More information about the workshop.
Proposal to form a Public Economics Workgroup of Economic Research in Southern Africa, 12 August 2009, Cape Town
The National Treasury and Economic Research Southern Africa invite you to attend an initiating meeting of an ERSA public economics research group. With a view to promoting research in public economics and public finance and to encourage engagement between economists working in academic or research institutions and policy advisors or analysts, the ERSA Academic Board has agreed to support a Public Economics research programme. An initiating meeting will bring together researchers and advisors from government, academia and development institutions, to discuss possible focus areas and a work programme for the period ahead. The meeting is timed to overlap with the International Institute of Public Finance conference to be held in Cape Town in August 2009, and the workshop programme will include discussion of experience in other countries in strengthening linkages between researchers and practitioners. Read More
Presentations for download:
Growth and development: Path Dependence
Public economics: South African research topics
Microeconomic aspects of public policy and development in South Africa
Cape town Stadium
Human development and public finances
SASI-ERSA Savings Workshop
This workshop takes place from August 4 to August 5, 2009 at the South Africa Reserve Bank
This workshop is jointly hosted by the South African Savings Institute and ERSA. More information.
Presentations for download:
National saving and fiscal policy in South Africa: An empirical analysis by Lumengo Bonga-Bonga
How sensitive are estimates of the marginal propensity to consume to measurement error in survey data in South Africa by Reza Daniels and Vimal Ranchhod
Measuring contagion and simultaneily by Johannes Fedderke
The equity premium and risk free rate puzzles in a turbulent economy: Evidence from 105 years of data from South Africa by Shakill Hassan and Andrew van Biljon
Savings: A macro perspective by Ahmed Jooma
Why are private pension assets in South Africa declining by Sheshi Kaniki
Retirement data effects on savings behaviour: The case of non-separable preferences by Aylit Romm
Incentivising retirement saving: A waste of money by Smith and Kearney
Saving, growth and the current account by Daan Steenkamp
The response of consumption expenditure to anticipated income shocks: evidence from the financial diaries by Albert Touna Mama
Macroeconomic policy and saving by Johan van den Heever
Social security and growth in a divided society by Tania Theodoluz and Nicola Viegi
National Treasury/ERSA Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Modelling Intermediate Course
We are happy to announce that Prof Rob Davies, Mr Dirk van Seventer and Dr Delfin Go will present an ERSA/National Treasury workshop on intermediate CGE modelling which will cover the following topics: Revision of the standard IFPRI CGE model, Dynamic CGE Modelling, Imperfect Competition and CGE Modelling. The aim of this workshop is to increase CGE modelling capacity within the region and to provide for networking opportunities amongst participants. The workshop will be held over the course of 3.5 days (May 25-28) at the National Treasury and followed by a policy seminar (May 28-29). Places are limited and access to the course is at the discretion of the course organizers. More information
Papers for Download
National Treasury Symposium Economy-wide Analysis and Economic Policy Programme.
Session 1 - Aid, Service Delivery, and the Millennium Development Goals in an Economy-wide Framework.
Session 2 - Formal-informal economy linkages and unemployment in South Africa.
Session 3 - Wage Subsidy and Labor Market Flexibility
in South Africa.
Session 4 - Tax Policy to Reduce Carbon Emissions In South Africa.
Session 5 - Agglomeration, Growth and Regional Equity: An Analysis of Agriculture- versus Urban-led Development in Uganda.
Session 7 - Biofuels, Poverty, and Growth: A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis of Mozambique.
Session 8 - Macro-Micro Feedback Links of Water Management in South Africa.
National Treasury-World Bank-ERSA Policy Modelling using Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Models Policy Seminar
We are pleased to announce a policy seminar on the practical application of CGE modelling. During the seminar a number of papers will be presented from both local and international experts on CGE modelling covering various topics including: Carbon taxation, Climate Change and Fiscal Policy, etc. The aim of this workshop is to illustrate the use of CGE models in policy analysis and to provide a forum for discussion. The policy seminar will be held from 28 to 29 May at the Kievits Kroon Country Estate, Pretoria. Places are limited and access to the policy seminar is at the discretion of the course organizers. More information
ERSA Training & Networking Workshop
Assessing Future Economic Developments and Policy Evaluation using Aggregate Dynamic Macroeconomic Models: Methods and Applications, May 12-14, 2009, University of the Witwatersrand. This workshop is being jointly hosted by the Department of Economics and Econometrics, University of Johannesburg and the School of Economics and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand. More information
ERSA Training Workshop - Financial Econometrics II
ERSA is pleased to announce a three day training workshop on Financial Econometrics to take place at the University of Stellenbosch from the 7 – 9 April 2009. This workshop will be led by Prof Stan Hurn, School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. Participants should have a grounding in Econometrics. Eviews and Matlab software will be used in the courses.
More information
Download the course material
Historic data and economic history research in South Africa
This workshop continues the strategic initiative for South African Economic History that started in 2007 with a training workshop presented by Prof James Robinson of Harvard University, followed by a successful networking workshop held in September 2008. At the September workshop two needs were identified: addressing the quantitative skills shortage, and furthering our knowledge of data available in South Africa. The workshop takes place 1 – 3 April 2009 at Glenburn Lodge, Muldersdrift. More information.
Financial Instability: an Emerging Market Perspective
ERSA in collaboration with the Wits Business School is pleased to announce a 1.5 day workshop on ‘Financial Instability: an Emerging Market Perspectives’ to take place at The Spier Hotel, Stellenbosch on 26 and 27 March 2009. The workshop will serve as a forum to discuss the implications of current international financial instability on emerging market economies and to present ongoing research on the issue. The programme will include the presentation of 8-10 academic papers, a policy panel discussion and a special session with Professor Barry Eichengreen of the University of Berkley. Find out more...
Trade and Industrial Organization
The Trade and Industrial Organization group is pleased to announce two forthcoming workshops:
Workshop 1: Current Trade Policy Issues, Wednesday March 4th/Thursday March 5th, Swan Lake Lodge and Conference Centre, Centurion, Gauteng
This workshop will be presented by Robert Z. Lawrence (Harvard University and Peterson Institute for International Economics). The workshop will cover such topics as the impact of globalization on economic development and inequality, the governance of global trade, regionalism and multilateralism and the Doha round and beyond. Papers and programme
Workshop 2: Econometric Methods for Industrial Organization and Competition Policy, Wednesday March 18th/Thursday March 19th, Premier Hotel Cape Manor, Cape Town
This one-and-a-half day workshop will be presented by Jim Levinsohn (University of Michigan). The workshop will focus on the application of discrete choice methods to estimate product demand. These tools have proved valuable in ascertaining the extent of competition and product differentiation and the value of new products.
More information on both workshops.
Programme Evaluation Course
Prof Sebastian Galiani (Washington University, St Louis) and Analia Olgiati from Princeton University will be presenting an econometrics course in programme evaluation from 9-12 March 2009 at the ERSA computer lab in Stellenbosch. NIDS and ERSA are able to offer funding to up to 25 participants to attend the course. We will cover the cost of economy class flights and accommodation (including breakfast). The course is free of charge. Academic staff are expected to pay for other expenses (lunch, supper, etc.). In the case of student participants, NIDS can provide a small stipend to cover these expenses if necessary. More Information
Training Workshop on Financial Econometrics
ERSA is pleased to announce a three day training workshop on Financial Econometrics to take place at the University of Stellenbosch from the 20 – 22 January 2009 to be followed by a second workshop from the 7 – 9 April 2009 at the same venue. Find out more...
Households & Labour Markets
ERSA is pleased to announce a 2 day workshop to take place in Durban, 22 – 23 January 2009. The workshop will serve as a forum to present current empirical research and results in the broad areas of households and labour markets. This is an excellent opportunity to receive feedback from peers on work-in-progress. We welcome contributions also from senior post-graduate students. More information....
Training Workshop on Econometric Methods for Panel Data
ERSA is pleased to announce a five day training workshop on Firm Level Panel Datasets to take place at the University of Stellenbosch from the 12 January - 16 January 2009. More information....
2008 Workshops
Trade and Industry: Policies and Analysis, Pretoria 26 November 2008
ERSA is pleased to announce a one day workshop to take place on 26 November 2008. The workshop serves two purposes. The morning sessions will be devoted to a presentation and discussion of some of the papers written under the auspices of the South Africa Growth Initiative programme of the Center for International Development at Harvard University. Presenters will include Lawrence Edwards, Johannes Fedderke and Jim Fairburn. The afternoon sessions will be given over to new work in the fields of international trade and industrial organization. Presenters will include Neil Rankin, Shakill Hassan and Witness Simbanegavi.More information....
5-day Training Workshop on Nonparametic Methods
ERSA announced a 5 day training workshop on Nonparametic Methods - 03 to 07 November 2008, University of Pretoria.The workshop was led by Professor Jeffrey S. Racine (Senator William McMaster Chair in Econometrics, McMaster University, Canada).
All attendees were expected to have a background in Mathematics and Probability and to have taken courses in Advanced Econometric Methods including Multivariate Regression and Inference up to the level of Greene or Wooldridge. Formally, no previous knowledge of Nonparametric Estimation was required. More information...
An ERSA Networking Workshop on Promoting Economic History in Southern Africa - 25 - 26 September 2008, Makaranga Lodge, Durban
Internationally, Economic History as research field has gained considerable momentum in the last 5 - 10 years. The quantitative approach to economic history has driven much of this enthusiasm due to its promise of new ways to give substance to economic theories. At MIT, for example, Economic History has become a compulsory course in the graduate programme. However, this surge in popularity remains largely absent in South Africa.
The aim of the workshop is to bring together current researchers in the field of Economic History, as well as researchers in related fields such as business and management history working on South Africa and Southern Africa, to find ways of popularising the subject, and to provide a forum for researchers to present their work in progress. As the workshop intends to build a network in this research area, participation is welcome even without paper contributions. Further information...
A Training Workshop on Nonparametric and Semiparametric Methods: UCT - Tuesday 15 July – Friday 18 July 2008
ERSA is pleased to announce a 4 day training workshop on nonparametic and semiparametric methods. The workshop will led by Professor Martin Wittenberg (Economics, UCT).
Participants should have a good grounding in Econometrics, although no prior knowledge of nonparametric and semiparametric methods is required.
Prospective on African Economic Integration Rhodes University - 19th and 20th June 2008
The workshop served as a forum to present current research and results in the areas of African Economic Integration and gave researchers in these areas the opportunity to network. Although there is a growing literature on economic integration in Africa, both nationally and internationally, there has not been a dedicated forum where to present and discuss current research and evaluate future area of analysis. The two day workshop aimed to fill this gap and link the national debate to the international literature, inviting leading researchers in the area. Both theoretical and empirical studies were welcomed. The purpose of the workshop was to build a network in this research area, participation was welcome even without paper contributions. More information.
Applied Time Series Analysis Workshop: UCT - 26 – 30 May 2008
 Professors Katerina Juselius and Soren Johansen presented a workshop on Applied Time Series Analysis over the period 26 – 30 May 2008.
The focus of the workshop was applied time series analysis, and followed the outline & material contained in The Cointegrated VAR Model: Methodology and Applications in the Advanced Tests in Econometrics by Oxford University Press, 2007.
Documents for download
Exam questions with answers
Bookdata
Exercises for the workshop.
USGedata (spreadsheet)
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 14
Poverty and Inequality Workshop - March 2008, Call for Papers
This was a 2 day workshop on ‘Poverty and Inequality' which took place in Bloemfontein on the 6th & 7th of March.
The workshop served as a forum to present current empirical research and results in the areas of poverty and inequality. This was an excellent opportunity to present work in progress and to receive feedback from peers. Allcontributions from doctoral students were welcomed. Read more...
Firm Level Data Analysis Workshop - February 2008
This two-day networking workshop took place at the University of Witwatersrand from Tuesday 19 February to Wednesday 20 February 2008. Read more...
Institutions and Growth Workshop - 4 - 5 February 2008
ERSA announced a 1.5 day workshop on ‘Institutions and Growth’ which tookplace at the Breakwater Lodge in Cape Town on the 4 & 5 February 2008.
Read here for more information.
Papers for download
- Bureaucratic Corruption, Openness and Public Policy in an Endogenous Growth Model by Rangan Gupta and Emmanuel Ziramba
- Looking abroad to understand productivity growth: the world technology frontier and industrial sector productivity in South Africa by Torfinn Harding and Jørn Rattsø
- Synchronization between South Africa and the U.S.: A Structural Dynamic Factor Analysis by Alain Kabundi
- Characterizing Conflict Forms by J. Fedderke and C. Kularatne
- Financial Development and Inequality: Brazil 1985-1994 by Manoel Bittencourty
- Trade barriers to growth in South Africa: Endogenous investment-productivity-trade interaction by Jørn Rattsø and Hildegunn E. Stokke
- A Theoretically Defensible Measure of Risk: Using Financial Market Data from a Middle Income Context by Johannes Fedderke and Neryvia Pillay
- Some policy experiment using a marshallian macroeconometric model: Case of South Africa by Jacques Kibambe Ngoie and Arnold Zellner
- Social and Economic Infrastructure Impacts on Economic Growth in South Africa by C. Kularatne
- Mark-ups and competition – a comparison of the profitability of listed South African and American industrial companies by E. S. Gilbert and S. A. Du Plessis
- Testing Creative Destruction in an Opening Economy: the Case of the South African Manufacturing Industries by Philippe Aghion, Johannes Fedderke, Peter Howitt, Chandana Kularatne and Nicola Viegi.
- Country Size and the Rule of Law: Resuscitating Montesquieu by Ola Olsson and Gustav Hansson
2007 Workshops
Human Capital - Health and Education: Micro Analysis and Macro Effects, Thursday, August 16 – Friday, August 17, 2007, Gauteng
This workshop painted a broad picture of human capital within South Africa. The ultimate goal of the workshop was to consider the micro aspects of human capital investments and associated policies, which would underpin a discussion of the relationship between human capital investment, policies and national income or economic growth over the course seven sessions within two days.
We began by considering what we knew about the health and education level of South African citizens. This was continued, by discussing the ‘determinants’ of individual and household health and learning capital investments. After looking partially at the demand side, the workshop moved on to consider the delivery of health and education. Labour market participation, marriage, earnings and other measures of socioeconomic status and the association of these measures with various forms of human capital was then discussed. The workshop concluded by extending microeconomic issues towards macroeconomic issues, especially, the relationship between human capital investments, government policy and economic growth in South Africa. For more information contact: Prof SF Koch
12th Annual Conference on Econometric Modeling in Africa
ERSA and the University of Cape Town hosted the 12th Annual Conference on Econometric Modeling in Africa. The conference dates were 4 to 6 July 2006. For more information about the conference please vist the African Econometric Society website.
Reflecting History Through Numbers: Quantitative African Economic History in the New Institutional Tradition
The quantitative study of economic history has gathered pace in the academic literature in recent years, especially within the tradition of the new institutional economics. In order to strengthen local participation in this field, and with a specific focus on African economic history, the Department of Economics at the University of Stellenbosch announced the above mentioned workshop. An internationally renowned academic, Professor James Robinson, of Harvard University agreed to participate and facilitate the two-day long workshop. The workshop was supported financially by Economic Research Southern Africa (ERSA).
Economists interested in the subject were invited to attend the workshop. Participants could attend the workshop, or present an already published paper (or work in progress) that provides a good example of innovative quantitative work done in the field.
Programme & Policy Evaluation Training Workshop
This training workshop was funded by ERSA and hosted by SALDRU and took on the form of lectures in the mornings and computer practicals (using STATA) in the afternoons.
The workshop was led by Sebastian Galiani from Washington University , St Louis on 24 – 28 July 2007 at UCT. See link to course outline.
Understanding the Growth Challenge: The Chinese and Indian Case Studies by Michael Spence
A presentation by Michael Spence was held on 14 June at UCT. Michael Spence is one of the 2001 Nobel Laureates in Economics and currently chairs the Commission on Growth and Development. The address took place from 12.30 to 13.30 on the 14 June 2007 at Lecture Theatre LT1, Kramer Building, Middle Campus, UCT.
Download the presentation.
ERSA Macroeconomics and Growth Workshop - Pretoria 10-11 of May 2007
The workshop, organised in collaboration with the South African Reserve Bank, was an occasion to exchange information on macroeconomic research currently undertaken in South Africa and coordinate future research initiatives. Themes of the workshop was on the areas of Business Cycle Research in South Africa, DSGE Models, Spatial Dimension of Growth, Optimal Monetary and Fiscal Policy Framework, Credit Cycles.
Download(s)
Robust Estimates of Okun's Coefficient for South Africa by J. Geldenhuys and M. Marinkov
Forecasting the South African Economy: A DSGE-VAR Approach by Guangling "Dave" Liu and Rangan Gupta
MONETARY POLICY RULES FOR MANAGING AID SURGES IN AFRICA by Christopher Adam, Stephen O’Connell, Edward Buffie, Catherine Pattillo. A shorter version of the paper can be downloaded from http://www.worldeconomyandfinance.org/working_papers_publications/wpdetail0016.html
Monetary Policy Rules for Managing Aid Surges in Africa by Christopher Adam, Stephen O’Connell, Edward Buffie and Catherine Pattillo
‘Matching’ Expectations to the Target: The Role of Communication in Monetary Policy by Maria Demertzis and Nicola Viegi
Exchange Rate Regimes, Determinacy, and Learnability in the Open Economy: Conditions for Monetary Conditions by Eric Schaling and Marco Hoeberichts
Corporate Control and the Theory of the Firm
A three-day workshop on "Corporate Control and the Theory of the Firm" took place at the University of KwaZulu-Natal from Wednesday 21 February to Friday 23 February 2007. The workshop was presented by Professor Klaus Ritzberger of the Vienna Institute for Advanced Studies and was jointly organised by Jim Fairburn (School of Economics and Finance, UKZN) and Alexander Zimper (School of Economics, UCT). The workshop was of interest to academics and senior postgraduate students working in the fields of financial economics and economic theory. For more information please click Here.
Macro-econometric Modeling
ERSA hosted a mini-workshop on Macro-econometric modeling at UCT on the 13th to the 17th November 2006. This workshop was be run by Prof Yongcheol Shin from Leeds University together with Prof Johann Fedderke from UCT.
View the presenters research interests.
Download the datasets used in the workshop.
The South African Labour Market
A workshop on the South African Labour Market which was hosted by ERSA was held on the 14 and 15th September 2006 at Stellenbosch University. It was run by Dr Martin Wittenberg from UCT. The guest speaker at the workshop was Vimal Ranchhod from the University of Michigan, USA. View the presentations.
Infrastructure and Growth - Theory, Empirical Evidence and Policy Lessons Workshop
Ersa hosted its first workshop in Cape Town on the 29-31 May 2006. Keynote speakers were David Canning from Harvard and Ioannis Kessides from the World Bank. The workshop was held at The Twelve Apostles hotel in Camps Bay.
View the programme as well as download presentations and papers presented by speakers.
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