Joakim Ekstrand
Lecturer of economics (Universitetslektor i nationalekonomi)
Background
I have been working at the Department of Economics and Business administration at Kristianstad University since spring 2003. Before that, I was an employed Ph. D. candidate at the Department of Economics at the University of Lund. It was during that time I wrote my thesis on currency prices under risk and uncertainty.
Research
My research has focused on two separate fields of Economics, currency prices and efficiency studies.
In the research of currency prices, I have used both temporary equilibrium models and overlapping generations models to describe the properties and dynamics for exchange rates over time and under uncertainty.
In the efficiency studies, I have used parametric and non-parametric frontier analysis to estimate production frontiers and to determine if a decision-making unit is producing in an efficient way or not. Moreover, the aim in this research is to find the factors that are likely to affect the efficiency of a decision-making unit. This is done by analysing the efficiency scores calculated in the frontier analysis together with the factors that is likely to effect the scores in various econometric models.
My current research focuses on the efficiency of individuals and the variables that determine this efficiency. That is, I study the level of production output individuals get from their effort and the human capital they possess in relation to different factors that is likely to affect this production. These factors usually depend on the type of process that is studied as well as in which context the analysis is done. For example, the learning outcomes of a student might be influenced by the technique he or she is using when studying the course material while discrimination due to sex or race might affect an employees salary.
Teaching
Since I came to Kristianstad University, I have been responsible for the introductory course in macroeconomics, both as an ordinary course on campus and as an internet based distance course. However, my teaching subjects goes beyond the field of macroeconomics. I have taught courses in Environmental Economics and introductory and intermediate Microeconomics as well as more specialised Economics courses such as Linear Economic Models and Information, Risk and Uncertainty.