The UW-Madison Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy (WAGE) is pleased to announce the winners of our 2009 Individual Research Award competition. WAGE will provide support to four research projects that explore the consequences of and challenges posed by economic globalization and its governance. Four faculty, Menzie Chinn (Public Affairs and Economics) , Ian Coxhead (Agricultural and Applied Economics) , Steven Deller (Agricultural and Applied Economics) , and Christina Ewig (Gender & Women’s Studies and Political Science) will pursue important research respectively on exchange rate and current account reversion, trade opening and African industry, foreign exports and the WI economy, and gender and health reforms in Latin America.
Menzie Chinn, Professor of Public Affairs and Economics
“Exchange Rate and Current Account Reversion: Economic and Policy Determinants”
$10,000 Award
The world economy is characterized by large current account imbalances. Even as of 2008, the United States is running a deficit of nearly 4.6 percent of GDP, after declining from a peak of 6% at the end of 2004. On the other side, China is running a large surplus. In this study, Chinn investigates what economic factors (openness to trade and financial flows) and policies (exchange rate regimes, capital controls) determine the pace at which current account balances and real exchange rates adjust.
Ian Coxhead, Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics (Research in collaboration with Prof. Jeremy Foltz and Lauren Bresnahan (graduate RA))
“Trade opening and the future of African manufacturing industry: which firms will survive, and why?” $10,000 Award
Lower tariffs and transport costs have increased the extent to which Africa’s manufacturing industries are integrated with the global economy, creating new opportunities and raising new challenges. How will firms respond? This project uses data on the characteristics of firms, industries and countries to understand what factors in the new trade environment explain success as an exporter, production mainly for domestic markets, or exit from production. The findings will help us better understand growth prospects for sub-Saharan African countries and evaluate development policy alternatives.
Steven Deller, Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics
“Assessing the Impact of Foreign Exports on the Wisconsin Economy.” $3000 Award
This applied research project aims to document the impact of foreign exports on the Wisconsin
economy. By using the method of input-output analysis at the state and sub-state level the
project will help state and local economic development practitioners and policy makers better understand how a globalizing economy can create economic opportunities.
Christina Ewig, Assistant Professor of Gender & Women’s Studies and Political Science
“Gendered Paradigms of Neoliberalism: Health Sector Reforms in Latin America” $5500 Award
What is the best mix of market forces and state provision for achieving gender equity in health care systems? This project compares paradigmatic cases of market-oriented health sector reform in Latin America to answer the crucial question of how to best design health systems for greater gender equity. First, it traces the political process of reform in four countries order to identify why some countries were successfully able to incorporate gender equity onto reform agendas, while others were not. Second, using statistical analysis and analysis of reform regulations, it compares the implications for gender equity of three distinct varieties of reform implemented in Latin America.