22nd March 2012 – Kick-off meeting COST Action IS1104:

The EU in the new complex geography of economic systems: models, tools and policy evaluation

Proponent: Pasquale CommendatoreUniversity of Naples ‘Federico II’

Outline of the talk

• Background• Objectives and working programme• Working method• Gender balance and ESRs

BACKGROUND

General backgroud

• Economic activities are unevenly distributed across and within nations in the EU

• Complex nature: economic, geographical, institutional, social, historical factors

• Required different levels and tools of analysis

General backgroud

• Geographical and territorial issues• The role of institutions • Financial and labour markets• Multi-level interactions and networks

Von

Thün

en

Chris

talle

r

Alfred

Web

er

A. L

ösch

A. M

arsh

all

H. H

otel

ling

Hirs

cman

-Myr

dal-H

arris

P. K

rugm

an

Fujit

a-Th

isse

Theoretical backgroud

Methods of analysis

• Nonlinear dynamical systems• Network analysis• Agent based modeling• Game theory• Computational methods• Spatial econometrics

OBJECTIVES AND WORKING PROGRAMME

Main Objective

• Provide a better understanding of the EU as a complex, multi-level evolving geographical system, taking duly into account the dynamic processes occurring within such a system and to develop improved strategies

Scientific Programme

i) Economic geography modelingii) Institutions and marketsiii) Social and industrial interactionsiv) Mathematical and computational methods

ad tools

Working programme

• First year: assessment of the literature, preliminary work on theoretical models and 1st stage preparation of mathematical, computational and econometric tools;

• Second year: building more sophisticated models, 2nd stage preparation of mathematical, computational and econometric tools;

• Third year: integration of results originated from different lines of research; policy design and evaluations;

• Forth year: validation of results via calibration excercises and empirical analyses.

Working groups

• 4 working groups with separate but complementary tasks

• Specific objectives and different methodologies

• Highly connected with a continuous feedback• WG1: constant input for the other WGs

Working Groups

WG1: Economic geography modelingo ObjectivesMultiregional economic geography modelingScientific coordination o MethodologyMacroeconomics/Geographical economicsRegional scienceNonlinear dynamicsNetwork analysis

Working Groups

WG2: Institutions and marketso ObjectivesEffects of Multi-level policy interventionFinancial and labour markets o MethodologyMacroeconomics/Labour Economics/Financial

Economics Regional SciencePolicy design and evaluation

Working GroupsWG3: Social and industrial interactionso Objectives Multi-level interactions within spatial economic systems Social and economic networks o Methodology Microeconomics/Geographical economics/Industrial

Organization Network analysis Game theory Nonlinear dynamics

Working Groups

WG4: Mathematical and computational methods and tools

o ObjectivesMathematical elaborationsProgramming Data collection/econometric analyseso MethodologyMathematical economics/MathematicsPhysicsComputational analysis

Objectives: First Year

• Investigation on the issues concerning the uneven spatial distribution of economic activities across the EU

• Review of the most relevant literature• Setting up of mathematical, computational and

econometric tools• Increase the collaborations between the Action

participants• Dissemination of results in the academic community• Preliminary contacts with policy makers and stakeholders

Assessment • Spatial

Economics Literature (WG1, WG2, WG3)

Modeling• Multi-

regional models (WG1)

• Institutional, financial and social factors (WG2, WG3)

Tools (WG4)• Nonlinear

dynamics• Networks

theory• Spatial

Econometrics

Coordination & Exchange • Meetings• Short Term

Scientific Missions

Scientific Workplan: First Year

WORKING METHOD

Project management

Chair

vice Chair

WG Leaders and co-Leaders

Grant HolderSteering

Committee (C, vC, WGLs)

Kick-off meeting

SC meeting

Workshop Urbino WG3, 4 Meetings

Website

MC, WG1, WG2 meeting

Conference Groningen

MC or SC meetingSiena ?

Conference Siena

September 19-21

September 19

December or January

December or January

May or June

May or June

First YearTime Table

STSM throughout

December

March 22

Outputs planned for the First Year

• Public website • Electronic communication network• Events: Workshops (1) and Conferences (1 or 2)• Academic publications:• Scientific papers Journal special issues (2 or 3) 1 book• MC and WGs meetings report• Final report

GENDER BALANCE AND EARLY STAGE RESEARCHERS

• Current composition of WGs (around 30%). It has to be improved

• A consistent percentage of STMs should be allocated to ESRs

Thank you for the attention!