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.

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