Columbia-Duke-UCLA Workshop on Quantitative Marketing and Structural Econometrics July 30 to August 1, 2013 (Deadline extended to April 26, 2013)

Overview. The purpose of this workshop is to help graduate students in marketing conduct empirical research through the rigorous application of structural econometric methods. The objectives of the workshop are therefore two-fold. First, students will gain an understanding of how to identify and properly frame empirical questions that lend themselves to structural analysis. Second, we will provide students with a solid introduction to basic structural frameworks and estimation techniques, including models of aggregate demand, single-agent dynamics, static games, and dynamic games. The workshop will also provide many opportunities for participants to discuss their ideas and research with other students and faculty. The workshop is supported by financial contributions of Columbia, Duke, UCLA and ISMS.

Schedule. The workshop will be held over a three-day period from Tuesday, July 30th, 2013 to Thursday, August 1st, 2013. The program is composed of a mix of regular lectures and discussions. The lectures will provide a solid theoretical foundation for understanding structural methods and numerous empirical examples to show how to map theory to practice. The discussions are intended to offer a more philosophical perspective on finding good research questions, the differences between structural and reduced-form modeling approaches, and the importance of having a clear empirical identification strategy.

Location. The workshop will be held at Duke University in the R. David Thomas (RDT) Executive Conference Center. The RDT center has room to house all the participants, including students and faculty.

Participants. The workshop is primarily intended for Ph.D. students, but the lectures will also likely be helpful to faculty less familiar with structural methods. Students should have completed at least two semesters of PhD-level courses that cover microeconomics and econometrics. We also strongly encourage faculty members with an interest in structural modeling to attend the workshop. We hope the presence of additional faculty will enhance the overall quality of the experience for all participants.

Fees. The workshop is free to Ph.D. students who are accepted through the procedure below. All attendees (Ph.D. students and faculty) must cover their own travel expenses and the cost of a room at the RDT Center. Rooms at RDT are $129/night. For faculty, there is an additional registration fee of $250. We encourage Ph.D. students to share a room at the RDT Center to reduce the financial burden. If a student is willing to share a room, please indicate this in your email. The workshop has a limited amount of funds available to sponsor a few students who can demonstrate financial hardship in paying for their hotel room.

PhD Student Application Procedure. To apply, send a CV, your relevant coursework and grades, a statement describing your current research (maximum one page) as it relates to structural modeling, and one letter of recommendation from your faculty advisor. The letter of recommendation should be informative about your standing in the program, general ability, research potential, and special interest in structural modeling. All applications must include an e-mail and mailing address. All applications should be submitted by April 26, 2013 (extended deadline) to QuantCamp@gsb.columbia.edu. We will notify applicants by May 15, 2013.

Organizing Committee

Brett Gordon
Rick Staelin
Raphael Thomadsen

Detailed Schedule (Tentative)

 

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 1:05 Opening Remarks – Brett Gordon and Raphael Thomadsen
1:05 – 2:30 Structural Modeling in Marketing and Economics – Peter Reiss
2:30 – 2:45 Break
2:45 – 4:15 Causal effects, experiments, and identification – Avi Goldfarb
4:15 – 4:45 Break
4:45 – 6:15 Aggregate Demand Models – K. Sudhir

Dinner at the R. David Thomas Center

Day 2: Wednesday, July 31, 2013

8:30 – 10:00 Aggregate Demand Models II – K. Sudhir
10:00 – 10:15 Break
10:15 – 11:45 Scientific Progress in Quantitative Marketing – Peter Rossi
11:45 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 Single-Agent Dynamics I — Gunter Hitsch
2:30 – 2:45 Break
2:45 – 4:15 Single-Agent Dynamics II — Gunter Hitsch
4:15 – 4:45 Break
4:45 – 6:15 Single-Agent Dynamics III — Gunter Hitsch

Dinner at the R. David Thomas Center

Day 3: Thursday, August 1, 2013
9:00 – 10:30 Data, Big Data, and Marketing: Carl Mela
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 12:15 Games I: Sanjog Misra
12:15 – 1:15 Lunch
1:15 – 2:45 Games II: Paul Ellickson

Conclusion of the workshop

If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact one of us at QuantCamp@gsb.columbia.edu.

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