Home

Announcements for Friday, April 26, 2013

News

  • Harl awarded Order of the Knoll

    Neil Harl, emeritus professor with the Department of Economics, was recently presented the Faculty and Staff Order of the Knoll award through Iowa State.

    The award recognizes an individual or couple currently employed by or retired from Iowa State, who has provided dedicated and long-term professional and volunteer service and creative leadership to the ISU Foundation and university through the advancement of philanthropy.

    Dr. Harl and his wife Darlene provided the lead gift to fund Harl Commons, a renovated space located on the ground floor of Curtiss Hall. The student-centered area will include an open space for informal gatherings, meeting rooms, and a café.

    The Order of the Knoll is considered Iowa State University's most prestigious donor recognition society, and its gifts are viewed as essential to the future of the university.

    Read more about Dr. Harl and his wife Darlene at: http://www.foundation.iastate.edu/s/1463/index.aspx?sid=1463&gid=1&pgid=...

  • Cardinal Key award for Deiter

    Ron Deiter, professor in the Department of Economics, and undergraduate ag business majors Bethany Olson and William Riley were recently honored with Iowa State University’s Cardinal Key Award.

    The award was established in 1926, to honor outstanding leaders among students, faculty, and staff at the university. Awardees demonstrate exemplary leadership in university activities, a high level of scholarship, strength of character, and outstanding service to the university community. The Cardinal Key designation also serves to identify a unifying body of campus leaders who promote “cardinal virtues” within the university community.

    Previous nominees from the Department of Economics include Dermot Hayes, awarded in 2011, and Jim Kliebenstien, awarded in 2000.

    Deiter, who was surprised to be nominated by a student outside of the department, said, “This is not something that I applied for or sought after, so it gives me a lot of satisfaction and pride to know that the work I’ve done is appreciated by students.”

    Learn more about the Cardinal Key Award at: http://www.stuorg.iastate.edu/cardinalkey/

  • Weekly Media Contacts for the Department of Economics

    Lee Schulz spoke with Troy Smith, Angus Journal, regarding cost relative to value of preconditioning programs.

  • Friday's Department Seminar: Victor Aguirregabiria, University of Toronto

    "Identification and Estimation of Dynamic Games when Players’ Beliefs are Not in Equilibrium," with Victor Aguirregabiria, University of Toronto, Friday, May 3, 368A Heady Hall, 3:40 p.m.-5 PM.

    Victor Aguirregabiria is a professor in the Department of Economics and the University of Toronto and a CEMFI Research Fellow. He is currently associate editor of Journal of Business and Economic Statistics and Journal of Applied Econometrics. Victor's research has made important advances to the econometric estimation of dynamic structural models of economic behavior. His work has appeared in Econometrica, the American Economic Review, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of Econometrics, and other influential journals.

    Abstract: This paper deals with the identification and estimation of dynamic games when players’ beliefs about other players’ actions are biased, i.e., beliefs do not represent the probability distribution of the actual behavior of other players conditional on the information available. First, we show that an exclusion restriction, typically used to identify empirical games, provides testable nonparametric restrictions of the null hypothesis of equilibrium beliefs. Second, we prove that this exclusion restriction, together with consistent estimates of beliefs at several points in the support of the special state variable (i.e., the variable involved in the exclusion restriction), is sufficient for nonparametric point-identification of players’ payoff and belief functions. The consistent estimates of beliefs at some points of support may come either from an assumption of unbiased beliefs at these points in the state space, or from available data on elicited beliefs for some values of the state variables. Third, we propose a simple two-step estimation method and a sequential generalization of the method that improves its asymptotic and finite sample properties. We illustrate our model and methods using both Monte Carlo experiments and an empirical application of a dynamic game of store location by retail chains. The key conditions for the identification of beliefs and payoffs in our application are the following: (a) the previous year’s network of stores of the competitor does not have a direct effect on the profit of a firm, but the firm’s own network of stores at previous year does affect its profit because the existence of sunk entry costs and economies of density in these costs; and (b) firms’ beliefs are unbiased in those markets that are close, in a geographic sense, to the opponent’s network of stores, though beliefs are unrestricted, and potentially biased, for unexplored markets which are farther away from the competitors’ network. Our estimates show significant evidence of biased beliefs.

     

     

Conferences and Calls for Papers

Funding Opportunities

Job Opportunities

  • Searle Research Fellow – Northwestern University

    The Searle Center on Law, Regulation, and Economic Growth seeks applicants for two research positions (Full-Time) starting Summer 2013 in the field of economics of innovation.

    JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: Research Coordinator

    The Searle Center on Law, Regulation, and Economic Growth at Northwestern University has two positions available contingent on funding. The Center seeks two economists with Ph.Ds to serve as researchers and research coordinators.

    1. One position is for an empirical economist to construct data sets in the field of Innovation, including patents and technology standards. The position would provide ample time to develop research for publication. The researcher would have the opportunity to work with Daniel F. Spulber and Matthew L. Spitzer. The researcher would assist with organizing research conferences and roundtables. The salaries would be competitive with academic salaries and would include benefits. The position does not require teaching although teaching opportunities may be available. The positions would start July 1, 2013. We hope to make hiring decisions before May 31, 2013.

    2. One position is for a theoretical or empirical economist to assist in the development of models in the field of Innovation, including patents and technology standards. The position would provide ample time to develop research for publication. The researcher would have the opportunity to work with Daniel F. Spulber and Matthew L. Spitzer. The researcher would assist with organizing research conferences and roundtables. The salaries would be competitive with academic salaries and would include benefits. The position does not require teaching although teaching opportunities may be available. The positions would start July 1, 2013. We hope to make hiring decisions before May 31, 2013.

    Duration of Positions: The positions are for two years but may be extended by one or two more years.

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A successful candidate must meet the following minimum qualifications: (1) a doctorate in economics or a related field; and (2) an expectation of excellence research. Publications are desirable but not required. This can be a Post-Doctorate research opportunity. The candidate will engage in scholarly research in a collaborative environment.

    APPLICATION PROCEDURE: For more information about the Searle Center go to http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academics/searle/ If you are interested in applying for the position, please send a cover letter and your curriculum vitae to Derek Gundersen d-gundersen@law.northwestern.edu

    EEO POLICY: Northwestern is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. Diverse candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.