ISET Economist Blog

25 April 2014

George Basheli, Eric Livny

Georgian Churchkhelas: Thinking Out of the Traditional Box

These are Georgian churchkhela, a kind of national candy made from a string of walnut halves dipped in grape juice thickened with flour (Tatara or Phelamushi) and dried in the sun. There are essentially 2-3 kinds of Churchkhela. Somebody may be better in making them, somebody worse, but all in all, it is the same stuff sold all over Georgia.

21 April 2014

Florian Biermann, Ia Vardishvili

Can Georgia Develop a Knowledge-Based Economy?

A few weeks ago, the Israeli ambassador His Excellency Yuval Fuchs delivered a speech at ISET, explaining the amazing transformation of Israel from what essentially was an agricultural state into what many economists call a knowledge economy. The ambassador reported that in his youth the foremost product Israel was known for were oranges. In the last thirty years, however, Israel created a high-tech sector that can compete (and in many aspects surpasses) the high-tech industries of the United States and Europe.

18 April 2014

Florian Biermann, Robizon Khubulashvili

On Women and Money

One of the few economists who won the Nobel Peace Prize is Muhammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi who invented the concept of microcredits. What is it about?

14 April 2014

Michael Fuenfzig

Fine and Punishment

Imagine arriving at a provincial airport in an unnamed Central Asian country. You leave the terminal and go straight to a row of waiting taxis. In your Lonely Planet, you read that you should pay about $10 for what is a short taxi ride to the city center. You ask the first taxi driver and are quoted a fantasy price of $50. You try to bargain, to no avail. You go to the next taxi, and once again you are quoted $50.

11 April 2014

Medea Davlasheridze, Irakli Kochlamazashvili, Adam Pellillo

Agriculture and Rural Development in Georgia: A Research Agenda

After many years on the back burner of the policy discussion in Georgia, issues related to agriculture and rural development now seem to be at the forefront of debate. And for good reason, as these issues are incredibly complex and have important implications, not only for those residing in rural areas but also for those purchasing agricultural products in towns and cities.

07 April 2014

Florian Biermann, Maya Grigolia

Do Economies Need Economists?

According to a rumor circulating among economists, there exists an econometric study that shows that the economy of a nation is doing worse the more great economists it produces. While this may be a myth, casual observation suggests that the correlation between the economic performance of a country and the quality of its economics profession is indeed unclear.

ISET Economist Blog

A blog about economics in the South Caucasus financed within the institutional grant by the Government of Sweden.