00915 - Economic Statistics

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student had acquired: - the basic knowledge of the main economic aggregates and indexes (GDP, consumption and real income, indexes of productivity); - the fundamental tools for a more in depth interpretation and analysis of thematic as: measure of inflation, analysis of inequality of incomes and poverty, statistic measures related to the labour market; - the basic tools for the analysis of models for economic policy.

Course contents

I. Introduction to observation and measurement of economic phenomena.

II.The system of National Economic Accounts. Input-Output Tables.

III. Measures and statistical analyses of economic aggregates. Data sources: sampling surveys, Census and Panel data. Sources of error and data quality. Statistical analysis of economic data.

IV. Measures and analysis of time and space variation of economic aggregates. Price Indices. Economic and statistic approaches to index number theory. The use of consumer price indices in the deflation of aggregates. Indicator of inflation processes. Spatial comparisons of consumer price indices, purchasing power parities and international comparisons of inflation.

V. Measures and analysis of income inequalities and poverty.

Data sources. Inequality measures: the Gini index, the Theil index, the Atkinson index. Poverty measures: the indices of diffusion and intensity of poverty. The Sen index. Human development indices.

VI. Measures and analysis of Labour market.

Data sources of Labour Supply. Composition of Labour Force. Indicators of Labour Market.

Readings/Bibliography

Readings/Bibliography

A. Santeusanio A., Storti G., Statistica economica, 2003, Salerno, CUSL (chapters: 1, 2, 3.1, 3.2, 4, 5).

Extra material will be provided by the Prof.

List of other tests to be consulted for further indepth information

Guarini R., F. Tassinari, Statistica economica (sec. ed.), Il mulino, Bologna 1996.

Borra S., A. Di Ciaccio. Statistica, metodologie per le scienze economiche e sociali, McGraw-Hill, Milano, 2004 (Per la sezione III: capp. 1-6, 16).

Teaching methods

Lectures and exercises

Assessment methods

Written exam

The final examination is in the form of a written test consisting of 3 exercises and 3 both theoretical and empirical questions; exam time: 1 h and half; it is not allowed to consult books or class notes.

During the final test, each candidate will be asked to show a document with a picture.

For students attending the course
A group work is planned for a topic that focuses on some of the content of the course (the material is partly provided by the teacher).
The group work: (max 6 students) involves the classroom presentation by the end of the course (15-30 minutes). Group work evaluation can lead to an increase in the final evaluation from 0 to a maximum of 2 points.

Written intermediate exam if required by the students attending the course. In this case, the results obtained in the first partial test will only contribute to the final evaluation if the student completes the second partial test in one of the first two planned written texts.

Teaching tools

Teaching material available on the web.

Reference distribution list: rossella.bernardini.svicse

Slides and teaching materials - exercises and examples - concerning lectures are prepared by the teacher and available on line (via Reference distribution list).

Topics are presented using pc and video-projector.

Office hours

See the website of Rosa Bernardini Papalia