Theme 1: Impact of Economic Policy. The aim is to provide information on how economic policy can promote competition and business conditions between companies in Finland and improve the competitiveness of Finnish production on the world market.
Theme 2: Impact of Driving Forces (Megatrends). The research focuses on the driving forces’ (megatrend’s) effects on the business sector and on the preconditions of economic policies
ETLA Economic Research is engaged in applied economic research with emphasis on questions central to the Finnish economy and business sector.
Research on labour markets and education focuses on the transformation of work and adaptation to it. Technological change, globalization and demographic change are reflected in the structure of the labour force and skills required in the labor market. At the same time, the employment rate should be raised to strengthen public finances.
Research examines the role of competition in the economy. The focus is on the functioning of the markets and the impact of regulation and public sector activity on market dynamics. The programme provides a large amount of empirical analysis based on firm- and individual-level data on the competitive strategies of companies, barriers to entry in the market and the impact of public policy on competition and the operation of companies.
The main focus of public finance research is on structural issues related to taxation and social security. The long-term problems of economic policy are addressed in particular from the perspective of population ageing, with an emphasis on the uncertainties and risks associated with economic and demographic development. The policy analysis focuses on the sustainability of public finances and the evaluation of related operational strategies.
The research of new technologies deals with the impact of the creation, emergence and application of new knowledge on businesses, industries and society. The focus is often on the discontinuities and changes related to technological development. Many of the programme’s projects are strongly interdisciplinary. Almost every project involves cooperation with companies or other stakeholders.