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International Business Administration

Empirical International Economics

Exam number: 6637

Semester: from 1st semester

Duration of the module: One semester

Form of the module (i.e. obligatory, elective etc.): Elective

Frequency of module offer: Each summer semester

Prerequisites: Completed Bachelor, basic knowledge in Statistics

Applicability of module for other study programmes:
Obligatory or elective in other study programmes. For further information check regulations of the study programme.

Person responsible for module: Prof. Ingo Geishecker, PhD

Name of the professor: Prof. Ingo Geishecker, PhD

Language of teaching: English

ECTS-Credits (based on the workload): 6

Workload and its composition (self-study, contact time):
Contact time (Lecture, tutorial etc.): 60 h; self-study: 120 h

Contact hours (per week in semester): 4

Methods and duration of examination:
90 minutes written exam and small mid-term home assignment counting 10% in the final grade.
Qualification for exam: successfully completed home assignment

Emphasis of the grade for the final grade: Please check regulations of the study programme

Aim of the module (expected learning outcomes and competencies to be acquired):
- introduction of key topics in empirical international economics
- skills in data organisation and processing
- knowledge of relevant methods of panel econometrics
- ability to comprehend and critically evaluate empirical studies
- in short: everything one needs to understand empirical papers and to write an empirical master thesis
- not only in international economics but in any field that uses panel data
Core competencies:
- Deeper knowledge of empirical methods
- Ability to comprehend and criticise empirical studies
- Ability to transfer and apply knowledge to new analytical problems

Contents of the module:
The course provides a brief selective overview of current empirical research in international economics with a focus on the analysis of offshoring and multinational enterprises. The lecture discusses current and interesting papers and introduces the respective empirical strategy and econometric method. Methodologically the focus lies on applied panel econometrics. The computer exercise reproduces the main findings of the discussed papers using the original data applying the statistics software Stata. The entire course follows a hands-one approach combining theory and concrete empirical analysis. The home assignment will consist of a small empirical exercise on interpreting and criticizing empirical studies.
Previous knowledge in Stata is not required. The empirical techniques taught in the course are readily transferable to other fields such as applied labour economics or applied environmental economics.

Teaching and learning methods:
Lectures and Computer Exercises

Literature (compulsory reading, recommended literature):
Articles to be announced during the semester
Recommended background reading:
Feenstra (2003): “Advanced International Trade: Theory and Evidence”. Princeton University Press.
Jeffrey M. Wooldridge, “Introductory Econometrics: A modern Approach” 5th edition, 2013. Cengage Learning Emea.
Joshua D. Angrist and Jörn-Steffen Pischke, “Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion” 2008, Princeton University Press.

Further information:
Registration in Moodle Viadrina required.