Lehre - Aktuelle Kurse

Vorlesung

Dr. Arne Robert Weiss, Dr. Asmus Zoch

autumn/winter term 2019

Elective course for B.Sc. Economics

English

Mikroökonomik A + B, Statistik I + II. Some statistical background (in particular hypothesis testingand understanding regression results) is necessary to be able to follow the course. Prior knowledge in developmenteconomics, experimental economics and behavioral economics is helpful but not required.Grading: Lecture only: 90 min exam (100%) / Lecture + Exercise: 90 min exam (80%), presentation (20%)Expected number of students in class: depends on students’ choice

Goals and contents of the module:

Lecture:

The lecture will cover the “behavioral turn” in development economics, from “thinking big” to “thinking small”.We will cover the relevance of behavioral economics to development, structured along theoretical mechanisms and keyconcepts. It provides an overview on the central questions and topics in the field of behavioral development economics.The course takes the micro perspective to provide an understanding of the major determinants and consequences ofpoverty and their impact on behavior. Furthermore, it will provide a summary of recent experimental findings and new developments in the fields of Behavioral Economics and Development Economics.

Additional exercise class:

The additional exercise class covers academic papers in areas such as decisions onconsumption and spending, savings, health, and production – structured along theoretical mechanisms. Students willpresent academic papers on one of these topics.

Expected competences acquired after completion of the module:

Lecture:

Students will become familiar with key areas and concepts in behavioral development economics. This courseexposes students to different methodological approaches in development policy design and provides students with the necessary tools to understand empirical and experimental literature in development economics and related fields that use similar methodological toolboxes. The overarching aim is to train students to take part in the development discussion bydiscussing different approaches through the lens of behavioral economics.

Additional exercise class:

Students who also participate in the exercises will gather experience in reading, summarizing and discussing original academic literature (“papers”) in this field and in critically appraising experimental results.Furthermore, they will get practical experience as a teacher. They will learn how to present academic papers concisely andin a manner that fellow students can learn actively.

Further information: Literature for exercise classes to be announced.

Contact Information:

Dr. Arne Weiss (0621) 181-1805; email: arne.weiss(at)uni-mannheim-de, Office: 1.01, Office hours: upon consultation.

Lecture and Exercise

autumn/winter term 2019

English

7

1. Introduction
2. Long Run Determinants of Growth
3. Concepts and Measurements of Poverty I
4. Concepts and Measurements of Poverty II
5. Poor Economics
6. Pro-Poor Growth
7. Concepts and Measurements of Inequality
8. Inequality and Growth
9. Inequality and Gender
10. Inequality and Health
11. Wealth and Economic Mobility
12. Poverty and Inequality in High-Income Countries
13. Recap

Expected competences acquired after completion of the module:
The students become acquainted with the topics in poverty and inequality and learn to critically review and discuss empirical studies in the field.

Contact Information:

Dr. Esther Heesemann; Email: heesemann(at)uni-mannheim.de; Office: L7, 3-5, 146; Office hours: on request via email

Name: Dr. Marc Gillaizeau; Email: gillaizeau(at)uni-mannheim.de; Office: L7, 3-5, 119/120; Office hours: on request via email

Lecture and Exercise

autumn/winter term 2019

English

E601-E603 (or equivalent)

9.5

Goals and contents of the module: Although Stata already offers a large number of econometric tools, novel approaches are often not available and have to be implemented by users. This course offers an introduction to advanced programming in Stata. Since comparatively few people know how to do so, Stata programming skills can be a competitive advantage. The lecture will start with an introduction to efficiently written do-files (including data processing). We will look at and discuss different data types. In hands-on sessions students will be taught how to prepare the data for analysis. Variables will be generated and their distributions explored; data will be merged; and regression results will be critically discussed. Moreover, in this course students will learn how to implement new commands for Stata and to conduct Monte Carlo simulations. These are important for verification of implementations and are used as a very important tool to analyse the small sample properties of estimators and to complement the theoretical properties of estimators making them an integral part of econometric analyses. We will also touch upon Stata's matrix programming language Mata, non-linear optimization, e.g. ML estimation and bootstrap methods

Expected competences acquired after completion of the module: Students will be able to program quantitative methods using Stata independently. They are able to use Stata and Mata as programming languages and understand the standard syntax and the grammar of the languages. They will also be able to understand commands in Stata and edit these accordingly. Knowledge won from this module can be applied to various records. Students are capable of automatizing analysis and working efficiently. In addition to that, they will be able to conduct Monte Carlo simulations and interpret and use the results to estimate the quality of the estimation procedure. They can generate samples from a variety of distributions. Through Monte Carlo simulations, students will have a better comprehension of the uncertainty and quality of the estimation and test procedures.

Further information: Cameron/ Trivedi (2009). Microeconometrics using Stata. Stata Press
 

Contact information:

Name: Dr. Atika Pasha; Phone: (0621) 181 1843; Email: pasha(at)uni-mannheim.de
Name: Dr. Ingo Steinke; Phone: (0621) 181 1940; Email: isteinke(at)rumms.uni-mannheim.de

Vorlesung

Prof. Dr. Markus Frölich

autumn/winter term 2019

English

5

Goals and contents of the module: Preliminary schedule: In this course we will cover impact evaluation methods as well as models for survey methodology. Topics will include counterfactual outcomes, heterogeneous treatment effects, (propensity) score matching, differences in differences, instrumental variables designs, randomized control trials, regression discontinuity design and various methods for collecting primary data. More details will follow.

Expected competences acquired after completion of the module:
The students become acquainted with modern methods in impact evaluation.

Contact Information: Anja Dostert; Phone: (0621) 181-1920; e-mail: dostert(at)uni-mannheim.de; office: L7, 3 - 5, room 1.21/1.22

Lecture and Exercise

autumn/winter term 2019

English

7

1. Introduction
2. Health and Development I
3. Health and Development II
4. The Global Burden of Disease
5. Health Financing and Health systems
6. Health Behavior I
7. Health Behavior II
8. Social Networks and Health
9. Environment and Health
10. Nutrition
11. Maternal and Reproductive Health
12. Child Health and Development

Expected competences acquired after completion of the module: The students become acquaintaned with the topics in global health and learn to critically review and discuss empirical studies in the field. 
 

Contact information:

Name: Dr. Esther Heesemann; Email: heesemann(at)uni-mannheim.de

Lecture and Exercise

Prof. Dr. Markus Frölich

autumn/winter term 2019

English

10

• Attain advanced theoretical knowledge in econometrics in the specific topics the module covers at a high technical and mathematical level.
• Be familiar with current theories and recent developments in the specific topics of focus for the module.
• Attain a higher/advanced level of analytical capability.
• Be in a position to take on follow-up advanced theoretical and applied econometrics modules.
• Attain the level of competence that permits independent undertakings in search of new knowledge in the specialist areas the module covers.
• Attain the level of competence required to carry out (theoretical) research-oriented projects independently.
• To be in a position to exchange information, ideas, and solutions with experts of the field on a scientific level as well as with laymen.
• To be able to communicate and to work effectively and efficiently with people and in groups.
• Graduates are able to communicate precisely in the English specialist language.

• Wooldridge (2010): Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data. MIT Press.
• Heij, De Boer, Franses, Kloek, and Van Dijk (2004): Econometric Methods with Applications in Business and Economics. Oxford University Press.
• Kirchgässner, Wolters (2007): Introduction to Modern Time Series Analysis.
• Kirchgässner, Wolters (2006): Einführung in die moderne Zeitreihenanalyse.

Contact information:

Name: Prof. Dr. Markus Frölich; Email: froelich(at)uni-mannheim.de; Office: L7, 3-5, 1st floor, room 114

PhD Seminar

autumn/winter term 2019

PhD

English

5

Description:The seminar prepares for own research in theoretical econometrics. This seminar covers recent developments in microeconometrics with a particular focus on identification and estimation strategies that deal with endogeneity issues. Preference will be given to articles in Econometrica, recently published or forthcoming.
Expected competences acquired after completion of the module: On successful completion of the module, students are expected to attain the following competences:
- Attain advanced knowledge in econometric theory.
- Attain a higher/advanced level of analytical capability.
- To be in a position to exchange information, ideas, and solutions with experts of the field on a scientific level as well aswith laymen.
- Ability to communicate precisely in the English specialist language.
- Presentation skills.
- Attain the level of competence that permits independent undertakings in search of new knowledge in microeconometric theory.

Contact Person: Prof. Dr. Markus Frölich, froelich(at)uni-mannheim.de

Seminar

Prof. Dr. Markus Frölich

autumn/winter term 2019

Deutsch

6

Ziele und Inhalte des Moduls: Das Seminar umfasst aktuelle Themen bezogen auf Arbeitsmärkte in Entwicklungsländern mit einem empirischen mikroökonometrischen Fokus. Die Themen beinhalten unter anderem: Kinderarbeit, informelle Arbeitsmärkte, Unternehmertum, die Schaffung von Firmen, Arbeitsmarktregulierungen, Mikrokredite, Mikroversicherungen, etc. Die Seminartermine werden nach den Wünschen der Studierenden ausgewählt. Die Studierenden sollen aktuelle Probleme von Entwicklungsländern erörtern und erkennen sowie empirische Studien zu diesen Fragen bewerten und diskutieren. In diesem Sinne ist es eine Mischung zwischen einem reinen Seminar zu Entwicklungsländern und einem angewandten Ökonometrieseminar. Die Studierenden sollen also auch angewandte ökonometrische Papiere verstehen, diskutieren und vorstellen, um die konkrete empirische Forschungsweise zu erlernen. Das Seminar ist insbesondere auch als eine Vorbereitung auf eine mögliche Bachelorarbeit im Bereich der angewandten empirischen Forschung gedacht, welche dann üblicherweise eine eigenständige ökonometrische Analyse mit Sekundärdaten verlangt. Das Seminar stellt somit eine Brückenfunktion zwischen den Grundlagenvorlesungen zur Ökonometrie, welche eher das Methodenwissen vermitteln, und der eigenständigen empirischen Analyse in der wissenschaftlichen Forschung dar.

Erwartete Kompetenzen nach Abschluss des Moduls: Die Studierenden haben gelernt, einen Aufsatz zu einem Thema aus der Entwicklungsökonomie zu schreiben und zu präsentieren, wobei sie den Bezug zu mikroökonomischen Modellen und insbesondere empirisch-ökonometrischer Analyse herausgearbeitet haben. Dies umfasst somit auch eine kritische Analyse und Begutachtung von empirischen Studien und deren Methodik, insbesondere der Ökonometrie, der Datengrundlage und der Umsetzung der empirischen Herangehensweise.

Weitere Informationen: Bitte beachten Sie den gemeinsamen Anmeldezeitraum für Seminare des Bachelorstudiengangs VWL.

Kontakt: Prof. Dr. Markus Frölich, Tel. 0621/181-1920 (secretary’s office: Anja Dostert), E-Mail: dostert(at)uni-mannheim.de, L7, 3-5, room 1.21/1.22