MICRODATA · Microdata methods and practice

Final Activity Report Summary - MICRODATA (Microdata methods and practice)

Microdata are the survey data recording the economic and social behaviour of individuals, firms and other decision making agents, and the environment in which they exist. Careful analysis of microdata leads to understanding of economic and social interactions essential in the design of government policy. Many important questions about the behaviour of people, households, firms and institutions can only be addressed using microdata. Analysis of microdata improves understanding of the dynamics of individual behaviour, of the variation in the experience and responses of individuals and gives insight into the distributional impact of policy interventions. The last ten years has seen a rapid growth in the questions posed of microdata, the availability of microdata, the computing technology available to process microdata and in the research tools available for the analysis of microdata. Much of this recent rapid development has taken place in the United States. However European researchers have made significant contributions, stimulated in part by some rich microdata resources available in Europe. The MICRODATA Research Training Network has recruited 12 early stage researchers and 8 experienced researchers, for a total of 360.75 person months. The recruits of the network have received training in the state-of-the art science of microdata methods and practice via masterclasses, short courses, workshops and networking. The network has organised eight meetings where an expert from the network gave a masterclass and where the recruits and senior researchers of the network presented their work. The early stage researchers in particular had to first discuss in short presentations their research ideas, which then developed over time into longer scientific paper presentations. The ESRs further followed the PhD programmes of their host institutions. Due to the high profile of the senior researchers of the network, with numerous publications in the top journals, like Econometrica, American Economic Review and Review of Economic Studies, the young recruits were exposed to the cutting edge of recent developments and benefited from the large network of top international academics within Europe and the United States. Collaborations between network members, secondments and visits and other organised training courses and masterclasses helped to further develop the young recruits to a very high standard, thus enhancing the standards and knowledge base in Europe.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union