Research Projects from the Academic Year of 2013-2014

Each year, MERG organizes research groups where students have the opportunity to conduct economic research in cooperation with external organisations and faculty members.

Here are six of the research projects from the academic year 2013-2014:

The remaining projects will be uploaded shortly. 

(1) ‘Trends and Key Drivers of Income Inequality’ for Oxford Economics.

Authors : Conrad Allison, Erlend Fleisje, Will Glevey,  Wouter Leenders, Johannes Prochazka (leader) and Garima Singhal.

This paper analyses key past and future trends of income inequality on a global, national and city level as well as key drivers of within-country income inequality based on existing literature. While income inequality between countries has risen in most OECD and developing countries over the last few decades, global income inequality seems to have decreased for the first time in centuries. 

(2) ‘Global Convergence and Divergence in consumption patterns: a literature review and what we can learn from macro-level data’ for Oxford Economics.

Authors : Wen Jian (leader), Jacqueline Warren, Kunal Singhal, Trang Cao, and Shaun Ng.

This paper provides a general framework for both globalization and cultural factors determining changes in consumption. 

(3) ‘Gillette and the Razor Market: Trends and Case Studies’ for Procter & Gambler.

Authors: Stefano Piano (leader), Gino Engle, Doris Chen, Charlotte Leahy, Liu Jiaxi and Yu Chen Xing.

This project explores trends in the razor market through econometrics and case studies. 

(5) ‘Literature & Data Review: Alcohol abuse in Russia/Soviet Union’ for Professor Kaivan Munshi.

Authors: Lindsey Anderson (leader), Katie Burns, John Finlay and Jason Lu.

Analysis of the key themes and trends in the literature on alcohol abuse in Russia through its historical context to the present day. 

(6) Ethical Investment Report for Tearfund

Authors: Helen Mussell , Eric Kroshus (leader), Lizette Chua, Jeffrey Xiao and Wupya.

What is an ‘ethical’ investment? Is there a difference in the returns between ethical and non-ethical products? Are ethical products accessible to ordinary consumers?

Research Projects from the Academic Year of 2012-2013

Each year, MERG organizes research groups where students have the opportunity to conduct economic research in cooperation with external organisations. In the academic year of 2012-2013, there were three separate research groups working on the following projects:

1) 'Have recent changes in VAT rates in the UK been passed on to consumers in the form of lower/higher prices?' with Oxera Economic Consulting
Group members: Thomas Bumberger (leader), Christian Wolf, Jielei Mao, Mayukh Mukhopadhyay and Jonathon Hazell

This group analyzed the short-run effect of the 2010 and 2011 UK Value Added Tax (VAT) increases by looking at three distinct vatable product groups over the time period 2008 to 2012: new cars, hairdressing & personal grooming and liquid fuels used for transportation.

Their report is available here.

2) 'Improving the Efficiency of the Supply Chain of Maize in Northern Tanzania' with Equity for Africa
Group members: Thea How Choon (leader), Xiaozhou Chen, Akshay Koli, Eui Jung Lee

This group analyzed, and recommended solutions to, the constraints faced by the maize agribusinesses in the Moshi and Arusha regions in Tanzania.

Their report is available here.

3) 'A Review and Analysis of Examples of a Green and Fair Economy' with Tearfund

Group members: Vreeti Reetoo (leader), Jenna Julius and Dung Thuy Nguyen

This group focused on seven case studies of green and fair economies with scopes varying from local to national communities.

Their report is available here. They have also prepared a presentation. 

Summer Research Scholarship

The Marshall Economic Research Group will provide a scholarship amounting to £1000 for a student to stay in Cambridge and assist Dr. Solomou with his research (abstract provided below) for a period of 4-6 weeks over the summer holidays. The exact dates for the research are flexible within the period July-September. If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please e-mail your CV and a transcript of your previous examination results to aa531@cam.ac.uk by the 21st of June.

 

Eligibility: All undergraduate, MPhil and Diploma students affiliated with the Faculty of Economics are eligible.

Application Procedure: Submit your CV and a transcript of your previous examination results to aa531@cam.ac.uk

Deadline: 21/06/2013

Abstract of research topic:

This project will focus on the economic impact of observable global weather shocks. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation is a process that gives rise to variations in the temperature of the surface of the tropical Pacific Ocean, causing extreme weather in different teleconnected regions of the world. The project aims to contribute to this multi-disciplinary area with quantitative economic and historical analysis by developing and analyzing long-run historical data sets. The research will be of interest to economists, economic historians, climatologists and policymakers.

Background of the Marshall Economic Research Group:

MERG is a student initiative associated with the Marshall society and designed to provide economics students here in Cambridge with opportunities to conduct real economic research. In previous years we have initiated a summer research scholarship, organised STATA workshops, produced a publication containing Cambridge faculty perspectives on the financial crisis and worked on projects with counterparties such as Oxera Economic Consulting and the OECD.

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/253529304717984/

A past MERG project still up-to-date...

This project was conducted in 2010 by  Arun Jacob, Soumaya Keynes, Promit S. Anwar, George F. Barton, Philipp Heller, Mahima Khanna, Piotr J. Krupa, James Wan, Jasmine Xiao, Michelle Wenchao Jin, and Xiling Zhou, but is still up-to-date since the crisis is yet not over. 
Hopefully MERG will produce a new edition of Cambridge Perspectives on the Financial Crisis in 2012-2013. I am definitely looking forward to reading it!

Abstract: The Cambridge Perspectives on the Financial Crisis presents a useful opportunity to reflect upon both quantitative methods of modelling and the preaching of different schools of economic thought. This collection articles and interviews by members of the Economics Faculty draws together some of the most important and widely-discussed issues related to the recent economic turmoil. It is remarkable for the scope of the topics researched and the range of approaches used, as it includes macroeconomic, microeconomic, political, and historical perspectives.

Charitable Giving and Religion

What do we know about Charitable Giving? Do gender differences in donations exist? What is the role of Religion? And why do people give out money after all? 

This project was carried out by Maria Balgova last year under the direction of Dr. J. Fruehwirth. 

Here is a Presentation and a Literature Review

What is the Effect of Public Sector Pay-Regionalisation on Local Economies?

Paper:

What is the Effect of Public Sector Pay-Regionalisation on Local Economies?

Authors: Christopher Belfield, Ksenija Osmjana, Joyce Ong Pei Wen, and Christian Wolf 

Date: May 2012

Abstract: This paper looks at the Chancellor's proposition to regionalise public sector pay. Using private sector as a benchmark for regionalisation, we carried out quantitaive and qualitative analysis of this plicy. Using 1.5 multiplier, annual savings to the government were calculated as 0.22%, while annual fall in national GDP 0.33%. Some regions (Wales, Scotland and North West) are likely to face considerably large falls in annual GDP due to the policy implementation. If correctly implemented, pay regionalisation may solve problems of labour shortages and poor public service provision, as well as promote entrepreneurship. We propose that pay regionalisation is introduced, but a new payment system should be developed since zonal system would be ineffective due to the pay variation within regions. Additionally, savings form the policy introduction should be used for infrasctructure investment in order to prevent negative effects on the aggregate demand. Finally, effects of the pay regioanlisation are likely to be greater in the short-run and fade away over time.


There is also a Powerpoint presentation. 

Industrial Strategy Research team: cluster analysis

There is a now a new page on MERG blog which contains all the reports and article reviews written by the Industrial Strategy Research team: http://marshalleconomicsresearchgroup.blogspot.fr/p/industrial-strategy.html

Recently we have done some work on clusters. Your comments are very welcomed!

Happy Easter :)