Questions tagged [soft-question]
A Non-specific question regarding economic practice and analytical development.
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questions
4
votes
2answers
82 views
What are the correct utility functions?
It is common to talk about utility functions. For example in a universe with only two goods, we might assume each person (or group of people) carries a function $u(x,y)$ in their heads. When offered ...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
Is there a “name” for price leadership oligopoly?
Oligopoly equilibrium in the static setup consists of cournout equilibrium and bertrand equilibrium (Nash Equilibria)while in sequential games we have stackelberg equilibrium and price leadership ...
5
votes
4answers
396 views
What is an economic crisis?
I'm not sure if this is a silly question or overly semantic but I think the term "Crisis" is misunderstood (or at least misunderstood by myself). There are a number of ways the term is used, namely:
...
2
votes
1answer
34 views
What is a what is meant by a “workhorse” macroeconomic model
A number of times ive seen the Neoclassical Growth Model and Overlapping Generation Model setups referred to as a "workhorse of modern macroeconomics". What does this mean exactly?
-1
votes
1answer
38 views
What does this sentence (from Galbraith) mean?
In Galbraith's Economics in perspective. A critical history (a spanish edition, bear that in mind), by chapter 2 the author says:
The conservatives, in a non-socialist economy, proclaim the right ...
0
votes
0answers
45 views
What are the exact sources of CARES Act economic transfers? [duplicate]
The bill Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act provides "2 trillion". (There is also H.R.6201 - Families First Coronavirus Response Act providing aid.)
From which sources will the ...
2
votes
0answers
43 views
Federal Reserve Leveraging of COVID-19 Fund
Reading an article in The New York Times about the COVID-19 stimulus bill, I stumbled on this detail
the Fed can take a limited amount of funds and deploy them widely: The central bank only needs ...
2
votes
4answers
910 views
Why does the Solow Model matter for undergraduate students?
I've been looking at the economics undergraduate curriculum and have been thinking and wondering as to what specific skillset we want to equip undergraduate students with in the working world.
One ...
3
votes
4answers
199 views
Why is so much of macroeconomic theory dedicated to economic growth?
I'm an economics PhD student and throughout my macroeconomics education I've found the topic of economic growth always being discussed at great length. From an Naive perspective id expect that one of ...
2
votes
1answer
29 views
Publishing in conferences and then journals
In economics, it is very common for researchers to submit papers to conferences before submitting their papers to journals. Are there any cases in which submitting a paper to a conference makes ...
2
votes
0answers
49 views
Are there really only two main macroeconomic models?
I was told that there are really two broad categories of economic models in macroeconomics. These Being:
1)Neoclassical Growth Models
2)Overlapping Generations Models
All other models that exist are ...
2
votes
0answers
29 views
Software used for solving demands of different functions
I'm currently doing some research on demand systems and have been experimenting with different underlying utility functions which will generate different systems of demands. However I've been doing ...
2
votes
0answers
46 views
What do game theorists think of behavioural economics?
Though behavioural economics has been popularized over the past decade in both industry and pop culture, it seems that not much has changed with regard to the standard economic definition of ...
1
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0answers
26 views
Regarding Macroeconomic Models
I've recently started my PhD and upon looking at my textbook (the sargent one) I found that it differed greatly from my Masters textbook (Romer) and in turn my undergraduate macro text (williamson).
...
1
vote
2answers
82 views
what are some unique features of heterodox economics?
I've been reading up a bit on heterodox economics as well as watched some of the lectures online and quite frankly, I'm having a hard time figuring out whats are the unique features of this school of ...
0
votes
0answers
31 views
Would apprenticeships improve the economy long term?
Evening my name is Nick and I am a high school student from Fairfield California and I’m 17, my super hyper theatrical question is about a substitute to college in order to create more efficiency in ...
3
votes
1answer
109 views
Why is it called Bayesian Persuasion?
I'm sure most of you are familiar with the paper titled "Bayesian Persuasion" by Kamenica and Gentzkow (2011), (you can find it here).
I was wondering what are your thoughts as to why it is called "...
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votes
2answers
59 views
Economics PhD graduate? [closed]
What are the options for Economics PhD students after graduation? I am aware most students end up going into academia as either professors or researchers. What are the options in the corporate world ...
1
vote
2answers
49 views
What is the Thomson Reuters tool that is used in universities? [closed]
I'm not an economics major but when I go to the library of the economics department I see that computers have access to something that is related to Thomson Reuters. given that I'm interested in ...
3
votes
0answers
86 views
Open Foundational Problems in Mathematical Economics
What are some open problems in mathematical economics which are treated as if they have been solved in economics papers?
As an example, one of my teachers has previously pointed out to me that there ...
2
votes
1answer
195 views
Technical Analysts and Econometricians: A Question on Methods
I've been reading the book Technical Analysis Explained by Martin J. Pring as a result of a conversation with one of my friends who said he did technical analysis but didn't apply the types of models ...
0
votes
4answers
286 views
What is economics?
It has been disturbing me since the first year of college that the meaning of economic is express too much as it is too less. "Study of scarcity, utilize the limited resources to satisfy unlimited ...
1
vote
2answers
92 views
Reading list for physics undergrad who'd like to cover the economics related to the hedge fund/ private equity field
I have had relatively little exposure to economics( nothing more than EC101) and would greatly appreciate help in answering the following questions:
Which sections of economics are more or less ...
59
votes
22answers
14k views
Criticism of Math in Economics
I've been reading and speaking to a number of educated economists and economics PhDs who are against the use of intense mathematics and mathematical proof in economic theory. Specifically I've been ...
2
votes
1answer
121 views
What properties does a stable economy possess?
Given the large amount of commentary on the state of the economy, I've found that most of the time the theme of the articles are always that there is something wrong/ abnormal with regards to the ...
4
votes
1answer
72 views
Soft Question: Economic measurement in a post-industrial economy
I have a colleague who is a mathematician by training and currently works in Risk Analysis. He has issues with current Economic theory and I have debated him over coffee a couple of times.
One ...
1
vote
1answer
35 views
what are the categorization by industry in economics?
I wanted to know what industries are there from an economics point of view, and how each industry branches into different parts. Just categories and names will do , or if you can point to a resource ...
1
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0answers
23 views
Best texts on cash usage and share buybacks in companies
What would be a good reference for how companies utilise their cash to conduct share buybacks. I am trying to understand how share buybacks affect the valuation of a company.
3
votes
2answers
34 views
Conference venues
Most of the conferences I've learned about essentially by word of mouth.
Is there any website listing prominent economics conferences? I'm interested in Economic Theory conferences mostly, but feel ...
2
votes
0answers
80 views
How would I assess Pesaran's «Time Series and Panel Data Econometrics»?
Has anyone ever read the book «Time Series and Panel Data Econometrics» by M. Hashem Pesaran? I'm trying to find a hardcopy near me, but I can't find it anywhere, even in libraries near where I live. ...
4
votes
1answer
153 views
Where does the Euler equation get its name from?
The Euler equation, specifying the dynamical constraint for optimality of an intertemporal optimization problem, is widely used in modern economics. But where does it get its name from? What did Euler ...
2
votes
1answer
195 views
Resources to improve my economic intuition
I am trying to improve my economic logic skills and ability to think about day-to-day issues in the systematic way economics and decisions science approaches scarcity or optimization.
A simple ...
3
votes
2answers
768 views
Certifications for economists
Are there certifications or professional designations that are specifically geared for economists? i.e much like the CPA and CA exists for accountants.
0
votes
1answer
41 views
What prerequisite courses do I need in order to specialize in Mechanism/Market design theory?
After seeing some lectures on Youtube, I came to learn about a few, namely, Game Theory and Microeconomics, but I am not sure whether this is all that is needed. Please do add as many courses as ...
2
votes
3answers
176 views
Which area of Economics involves heavy mathematics and also appears to be directly helping the people?
The thing is that I am writing a scholarship essay and one of the questions asks me to list my career goals and suggests as to how would the college where I am applying for the scholarship to would ...
3
votes
2answers
113 views
Sending your paper around in Economics
As a PhD student I made a few connections over the course of time with professors from around Europe (had brief chats with them at conferences, invited them at conferences, etc..). Some explicitly ...
4
votes
2answers
821 views
Math basics for Macro&Micro economics and econometrics
I have just been admitted to a graduate school for studies in economics and I major in public administration during my undergraduate time. I have learnt linear algebra, single variable calculus, ...
5
votes
1answer
457 views
Economics: inductive or deductive? Verificationism or falsificationism?
Question 1: Are economic theories and models developed using induction or deduction?
My view: If we gather historical evidence and figure "so, people tend to be like this and that so let's call this ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
Mathematical open problems that (when answered) might unlock MAJOR mathematical (micro)economics/finance/econometrics discoveries
Are there any (specific) math open problems that mathematical (micro)economics / finance / econometrics researchers wish mathematicians could solve for their discoveries to flourish? If positive, ...
5
votes
2answers
237 views
Foundational equations or concepts of Finance
For the other sciences it´s easy to point to the most important equations, inequalities, propositions or concepts that ground the discipline. If I want to explain Finance to a physicist say, what are ...
1
vote
0answers
44 views
Designing economic system for an RPG [duplicate]
I am not sure how well suited my question will be to the platform, but it's a question nonetheless, concerning economics.
I am, rather we are, group of people moderating a real world text-based RPG. ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
What are the best books for developing a solid understanding of fundamentals of Economics?
Recently, Raghuram Rajan, a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund and current Governor of central bank of India, while addressing undergraduate students of Economics, said:
... ...
5
votes
4answers
172 views
Taking observed preferences seriously
You often hear economists (proudly) say that they don't take stated preferences seriously, but instead rely on observed preferences. Correct?
To me both are problematic if you want to understand ...
4
votes
2answers
260 views
Preparation for the rigors of an economics graduate programme
I realize now that my undergraduate program is not nearly as rigorous as it should be - it required almost no math to complete. This is concerning because I've been accepted into a decent (top 30) PhD ...
13
votes
5answers
311 views
Contest: earliest written instance of economic thought
Following part 5 of @Lateral fractal answer to "Handy Hints for Committing to the Beta" on the meta
"Have fun! No fun = No play. No play = No beta. I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel that a ...
6
votes
5answers
2k views
Book recommendations on empirical methods in economic research and econometrics?
This question is more so geared toward anyone with research experience within economics, though of course, anyone is welcome to respond.
I'm an undergraduate math major with a minor in economics. I'...
67
votes
13answers
20k views
Fundamental equations in economics
For the other sciences it´s easy to point to the most important equations that ground the discipline. If I want to explain Economics to a physicist say, what are considered to be the most important ...
13
votes
2answers
2k views
Differentiate a positive externality and the absence of a negative externality. Tax or subsidize?
I hope this isn't overly semantic, but I'd like to gain some clarification on the use positive (or negative) externality.
I usually shoot down suggestions for examples of positive externalities like ...
