© Scott McDonald
Single Country CGE Modelling
Target Audiences
The target audiences for this course are
- Potential model developers, e.g., graduate students, researchers, academics, consultants, etc.,
- Model users, e.g., policy analysts, researchers, consultants, etc.,
- Commissioners of policy studies seeking to be better ‘customers’.
Course Aims
To develop the CGE modelling skills of participants (using GAMS) so they
- understand the behavioural relationships used in CGE models;
- understand the impact of different behavioural relationships used in CGE models;
- understand the calibration of the behavioural relationships in CGE models;
- can formulate appropriate CGE policy experiments; and
- can interpret the results generated by single country CGE models
Course Objectives
On completion of the course the participants will be able:
- formulate and code appropriate policy experiments;
- identify and understand the strengths and limitations of CGE models;
- make some modifications to behavioural relationships;
- interpret the results from single country CGE; and
- identify, and present, the policy implications of simulations using single country CGE models.
Approach
This course does NOT use a GUI (Graphical User Interface) to access GAMS. Experience has demonstrated that the use of GUI’s by participants on training programmes typically limits the development of the skills needed to be a good CGE modeller or user of CGE models. The development of GAMS, or GEMPACK, programming skills greatly extends the ability of the user to exploit the power of CGE models, while, at the same time, opening up the potential that participants can change behavioural relationships in CGE models
‘Black Boxes’
CGE models are NOT ‘black boxes’. Basic GAMS programming skills, and an understanding of economic theory, demonstrates that allegations that CGE models are ‘black boxes’ are false. Claims that CGE models are ‘black boxes’ says more about the claimant than about CGE models.