Current position
July 2019-Present: Associate Professor of Policy (International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University)
EDUCATION
June 2007: University of Bologna – Department of Economic Sciences – Bologna, Italy
Ph.D. in Economics
Supervisor: Hartmut Lehmann
Thesis title: “The Effects of Economic and Systemic Reforms on Labor Market Outcomes in Ukraine”
November 2002: University of Bologna – School of Development Innovation and Change
Master in Development, Innovation and Change (Specialization in Local and International Development)
May 1998: Kiel Institute of World Economics – Kiel, Germany
Advanced Studies Certificate in International Economic Policy Research
June 1995: University of Bologna
Laurea in Economia e Commercio (equivalent to a Master’s Degree in Economics and Finance)
Supervisor: Silva Marzetti
Thesis title: “Economic Policy and the Environment”
Affiliations to Academic Bodies and Associations
American Economic Association
Association of Comparative Economic Studies
Association of Social Economics
European Association of Comparative Economics (Secretary since September 2022)
Human Capital and Economic Opportunities Global Working Group (HCEO)
International Association for Energy Economics
IZA - Institute of Labor Economics - Research Fellow
FIELDS OF INTEREST
Behavioral/Experimental Economics - Labor Economics – Policy Studies - Sustainable Development
JOURNALS REFEREED
Economic Systems, International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, International Journal of Manpower, IZA Journal of Labor and Development (now IZA Journal of Development and Migration), Journal of Comparative Economics, Journal of Economic Psychology, The Energy Journal, World Development
REFEREED ARTICLES
Babych, Y., Grigorian, A., Lvovskiy, Pignatti, N. (forthcoming). Perceptions of violence and their socio-economic determinants: evidence from transition countries. Baltic Journal of Economics.
Torosyan, K., and Pignatti, N. (2022) Employment vs. Homestay and the Happiness of Women in the South Caucasus. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23, pp.4027-4071, ISSN: 1389-4978, doi: doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00590-7
Bortolotti S, Dohmen T, Lehmann H, Meyer F, Pignatti N, Torosyan K. (2021). Patience, Cognitive Abilities, and Cognitive Effort: Survey and Experimental Evidence From a Developing Country. American Behavioral Scientist. March 2021, 65(11), 1512–1530. doi:10.1177/0002764221996744
Pignatti, N. (2020) Encouraging women’s labor force participation in transition countries. IZA World of Labor: 264. doi: 10.15185/izawol.264.v2 Published: November 2020 – Previous version June 2016
Asali, M., Pignatti, N. and Skhirtladze, S. (2018). [https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/78230.html]. Journal of Comparative Economics, 46(4), pp. 1294-1309
Lehmann, H. and Pignatti, N. (2018). Informal Employment Relationships and the Labor Market: Is there Segmentation in Ukraine? Journal of Comparative Economics, 46(3), pp. 838-857.
Torosyan, K., Pignatti, N. and Obrizan, M. (2018). Job market outcomes of IDPs: the case of Georgia. Journal of Comparative Economics, 46(3), pp. 800-820.
Dohmen, T., Lehmann, H. and Pignatti, N. (2016) Time-Varying Individual Risk Attitudes over the Great Recession: A Comparison of Germany and Ukraine, Journal of Comparative Economics, 44 (1), 182-200
Pignatti, N. (2012), Gender Wage Gap Dynamics in a Changing Ukraine, IZA Journal of Labor & Development 2012, 1:7 doi:10.1186/2193-9020-1-7 Published: December 2012
Lehmann, H.F., Pignatti, N. and Wadsworth, J. (2006) The Incidence and Cost of Job Loss in the Ukrainian Labor Market, Journal of Comparative Economics, 34, 248-271.
Other academic publications
Pignatti N. (2023). Energy Security Challenges and Opportunities for the Country of Georgia. Comparative Southeast European Studies, vol. 71, no. 1, 2023, pp. 119-133. https://doi.org/10.1515/soeu-2022-0031
Obrizan M., Torosyan K., Pignatti N. (2019). Tobacco Spending in Georgia: Machine Learning Approach. In: Chertov O., Mylovanov T., Kondratenko Y., Kacprzyk J., Kreinovich V., Stefanuk V. (eds) Recent Developments in Data Science and Intelligent Analysis of Information. ICDSIAI 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 836. Springer, Cham
Lehmann, H., Muravyev, A., Pignatti, N., Razzolini, T. and Zaiceva, A. (2012), Worker Displacement in Russia and Ukraine: a Comparative Analysis using Micro Data. In Tilman Brueck and Hartmut Lehman (Eds.), “In the Grip of Transition. Economic and Social Consequences of Industrial Restructuring in Russia and Ukraine”, Palgrave.
Pignatti, N. (2011), Labor Market Segmentation and Gender Wage Gap in Ukraine, in A.G. Karasavvoglou (Ed.): "The Economies of the Balkan and Eastern Europe Countries in the Changed World", Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Cambridge, UK.
Non-academic publications
Vidal, R., Pignatti, N., Sinha, R., Chachava, M., Pavlenishvili, L., Fraval, P. (2022). Constraints to Sustainable, Efficient, and Resilient Irrigation Systems in Georgia - What is a Possible Way Forward? Irrigation Sector Policy Note. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36890 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Pignatti N. (2021). Regulatory Impact Assessment Manual for Pratictioners. Book produced in the context of the GGI (USAID) funded project to support the Government of Georgia and the Parliament of Georgia in the process of institutionalization of Regulatory Impact Assessment.
Pignatti, N., Lobjanidze, M. and Tsulukidze, M. (2021). Efficiently cutting Georgia’s greenhouse gas emissions. ISET-PI research report. https://iset-pi.ge/en/publications/research-reports/3010-efficiently-cutting-georgias-greenhouse-gas-emissions Funded by the Government of Sweden/SIDA.
Pignatti, N., Galdava, I. and Kelbakiani, G. (2014). Expanding Access to Modern Energy Services in Transition Countries: the Republic of Georgia, IAEE Energy Forum, 2nd quarter 2014, 21-22
Kelbakiani, G. and Pignatti, N. (2013), Introducing Wind Generation as a Way to Reduce the Seasonal Volatility in Electricity Generation in Georgia, IAEE Energy Forum, 4th quarter 2013, 37-39
Invited/keynote Presentations (last 5 years)
May 2023 – Invited speaker to the Seminar Series of the Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies. Title of the presentation: “Energy Markets and Energy Security in Eurasia, and the key position of the South Caucasus” (2nd May, 2023).
July 2022 – Keynote lecturer at the IOS Summer Academy:Title: "Gender inequality in Central and Eastern Europe: Labour market in focus" Title of the presentation: The Multidimensional Nature of Gender Inequality in Post-Soviet Labor Markets, and its Implications for Women’s Economic Empowerment and Wellbeing (6th July 2022).
December 2021 – Invited panel speaker at the 2021 SITE (Stockholm Institute for Transition Economics) Development Day. International (online) event. Title of the presentation: “Energy Transition, Climate Policies, and Politics in Georgia” (8th December 2021).
June 2021 – Keynote presentation at the international online conference ISET/FROGEE international online conference on Gender Equality. Title of the presentation: “the ISET Policy Institute Gender Equality Index for the Former Soviet Union” (10th June 2021).
November 2019 – Keynote address at the international conference “Removing Obstacles to Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment”. Title of the presentation: “Gender and Development – a Regional Perspective” (15th November 2019).
May 2018 – Keynote Speaker at the Georgian Parliament: European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation (ECPRD) International Workshop on Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA). May 17th 2018.
Research and Professional Experience (last 5 years)
03/23-present: Key RIA expert. Developing RIA SME Test Methodology for Georgia while strengthening the capacity of the Government of Georgia in utilizing the SME RIA tools in practice through trainings and coaching of pilot RIAs. UNDP funded Project.
09/23-present: Adjunct Professor - Department of Political and Social Sciences. University of Bologna.
09/22-present: Secretary of the European Association of Comparative Economics
02/22-present: Key Economic Expert of the UNEP funded project to Update Georgia’s Technology Needs Assessment and Development of a Technology Road Maps for Prioritized Technologies – Green agenda
07/19-12/2023: Lead Economist (ISET Policy Institute) – Leading RIA and GIA teams, as well as the Energy and Environment Policy Research Center within the Institute (later, Energy and Environment Practice). Coordinator, with Yaroslava Babych, of research activities on Gender Issues at the Policy Institute and in the framework of the Forum for Research on Gender Economics (FROGEE).
09/19-06/2023: Team Leader and Key Expert of the UN Women funded project to support Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) and Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) analysis of labor market reforms and other public programs. Reform areas subject to RIAs: legislation on Maternity Protection, Domestic Workers and Workers with Family Responsibilities. Program and Strategies subjected to GIAs: GIA or Program Plant the Future; GIA on the adoption of Equal pay for Equal work legislation; GIA of SME Development Strategy of Georgia 2021 – 2025; GIA of Public Programs benefiting IDP; development of national GIA methodology and delivery of trainings in GIA to public servants.
09/09-06/23: Coordinator of the Concentration in Energy and Natural Resources Management – International School of Economics - Tbilisi State University (TSU)
04/22-06/23: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (The World Bank) - Short term consultant.
Project Title: Distributional impacts of environmental pollution in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Task Team Lead: Alan Fuchs Tarlovsky.
05/22-09/22: Key Labor Market expert for EU funded project “Strengthening Social Protection in Georgia”.
Analysis of the potential macroeconomic and distributional consequences of an increase in the minimum wage in the Republic of Georgia.
08/18-06/22: Team Leader/Key RIA expert for GGI funded project to support the Government of Georgia and the Parliament of Georgia during the process of institutionalization of Regulatory Impact Assessment. Capacity building and technical advice (drafting of methodological guidelines for the public administration officials). Key deliverable: development of the RIA methodology document constituting the basis for (and incorporated in) the official Government Decree instituting the RIA practice in the country. RIA Manual for practitioners.
June 2022 – Visiting Fellow at the Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies. Title of the research project: project “Risk Attitudes and Informal Employment in Post-transition countries”.
10/21-03/22: Project Supervisor: Training for journalists on Green Economy. Training organized by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
03/21-11/21: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (The World Bank) - Short term consultant.
Project Title: Agricultural, Land and Water Policies to Scale up Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in Georgia.
Task Team Lead: Ranu Sinha – Aira Maria Htenas
03/21-07/21: Key RIA expert. Technical assistance to the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure. Regulatory Impact Regulatory Impact Assessment about the introduction of Local Tourism fee. Funded by Economic Governance Program (USAID).
03/20-06/20: Team Leader/Key RIA expert Technical assistance to the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. Regulatory Impact Assessment of alternative ways to manage the backlog of existing power purchase agreements (PPA) and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) Project funded by USAID Energy Program.
09/16-06/19: Professor of Economics (non-tenured) – International School of Economics - Tbilisi State University (TSU) and Head of the Energy and Environmental Policy Research Center (ISET Policy Institute) [managing 6 researchers]
04/18-02/19: International School of -Economics - Tbilisi State University (TSU). Lead researcher and coordinator of the team producing the policy report: “Economic Instruments for Water Resources Management” financed by the Europe Foundation.
11/17 – 07/18: Consultant for the World Bank project on the assessment of the state of the Georgian Education System. Author of the Policy Report: “Higher Education Reform in Georgia: Challenges and Opportunities”
10/17 - 06/18: Regulatory Impact Assessment – RIA Expert - Technical assistance to the Ministry of Justice of Georgia. “Regulatory Impact Assessment of draft Law on Insolvency Proceedings”. GIZ financed project.
03/17 - 02/18: Regulatory Impact Assessment – RIA Expert - Technical assistance to the Ministry of Justice of Georgia. “Regulatory Impact Assessment of draft Law on Entrepreneurship”. GIZ financed project.
07/17-01/18: Regulatory Impact Assessment – RIA Expert - Technical assistance to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia. “Regulatory Impact Assessment of draft Law on Biodiversity”. GIZ financed project.
Teaching and Training Experience (in addition to above-mentioned projects and jobs)
09/09 - present: International School of Economics - Tbilisi. Courses taught (MA Level):
Cost Benefit Analysis (I & II);
Development and Transition Economics (I & II & III));
Economics of Energy Markets;
Program Evaluation;
Public Economics
Other duties: Supervising students’ Master’s Theses, Literature Critiques and Applied Projects.
10/21-03/22: Trainer in: Training for journalists on Green Economy. Training organized by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
03/20-09/20: Trainer in: RIA Methodology applied to energy market issues, following the RIA institutionalization, targeting Public Servants and Personnel of CSOs. Training organized by USAID Energy Program.
10/18-12/18: Trainer in: RIA Methodology applied to energy market issues, targeting Public Servants and Personnel of CSOs. Training organized by USAID Energy Program.
07/18-12/18: Team leader and training coordinator in: Electricity Trading Training Program. Training funded by G4G (USAID).
12/17-09/18: Trainer and Coach in the framework of the project Training and Coaching of the Public Servants and Personnel of CSOs on RIA Analytical Methods, organized by G4G (USAID)
04/16-08/18: Senior Expert/Lead Trainer. Trainings in Regulatory Impact Assessment for Government Officials in the framework of the EU Funded Project “Legislative Impact Assessment, Drafting and Representation”.
April 2017: Trainer in Cost-Benefit Analysis, in the framework of the RIA Training for NGOs organized by G4G (USAID)
September 2016: Lecturer. Cost-Benefit Analysis for Government Professionals. Project organized by Germany Economic Team (GET) Belarus.
February 2015: Lecturer. Cost-Benefit Analysis for Government Professionals. Project organized by Germany Economic Team (GET), Georgian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and ISET-Policy Institute.
11/14-12/14: National Bank of Armenia. Visiting Professor. Program Evaluation.
09/07-09/09: International School of Economics - Tbilisi. Visiting professor. Courses Taught (MA level):
Development and Transition Economics (I & II));
Labour Economics I;
Statistics and Econometrics I.
Other duties: Supervising students’ Master’s Theses.
02/07-09/09: University of Bologna – Faculty of Political Sciences – Short-term Lecturer. Teaching Economics of Transition and Applied Econometrics.
January 2024
