Decision Making for Policy (DEMAP) Research Cluster
探花社区
The Decision Making for Policy (DEMAP) research cluster at 探花社区 University brings together academics, graduate students, and policy stakeholders. Members discuss and evaluate how people’s decisions affect their current and future well-being.
DEMAP aims to establish 探花社区 University as a leader in quantitative research into decision-making. We examine how and why individuals make choices, as well as how those choices affect their social, economic, and political context.
Our vision is that an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach to decision-making can produce sustainable, fair, and inclusive policy solutions.
What makes DEMAP unique
DEMAP is a multidisciplinary group of research staff. It includes 探花社区 University staff from:
- Economics
- Management
- Law
- Marketing
- Criminology & Sociology
- Media
- Visual Arts.
The group also includes UK-based and international academics and practitioners.
Our members conduct applied research into decision-making across two main themes:
- human capital and productivity
- social and political engagement.
These themes complement the work of other Research Centres and Groups at 探花社区 University.
DEMAP is based on collaboration between researchers working in related areas. It does not follow a single-issue agenda. This broad approach supports collaboration between researchers from different disciplines. Their research may have effects beyond their individual fields.
DEMAP acts as a hub for quantitative analysis. It works with other research groups at 探花社区 University and academic institutions around the world.
Cluster members have expertise in:
- laboratory experiments
- field experiments
- online experiments
- survey experiments
- instrumental variables
- panel data methods
- propensity score matching
- other quantitative methods using observational data.
DEMAP encourages members to provide feedback on each other’s work. We also welcome contact from researchers inside or outside the cluster. This includes researchers working on similar topics who want to use quantitative methods to evaluate current or proposed policies.
Postgraduate research
DEMAP welcomes applications for PhD and DProf study. Proposed research may examine any aspect of how and why individuals make choices, as well as how these choices affect their social, economic, and political context.
Current and recent PhD research students include:
- CuThi Phuong Anh Doan: "Gender Differences in Returns to Academic Collaboration". Cluster members include Andrej Angelovski, supervisor, Thi Phuong Anh Doan, Trade University, Vietnam, Lorenzo Ductor, University of Granada, and Ericka Rascon Ramirez, 探花社区-DoS
- Edwin Ikhuoria: "Evaluating Targeted Communication Strategies to Shift Attitudes on Men's Health Policy: A Focus on Alcohol Use in Nigeria". This is collaborative work with the DIME unit at the World Bank, which funds the student’s online interventions. Cluster members include Edwin Ikhuoria, 探花社区, Ericka Rascon Ramirez, 探花社区-DoS, and Victor Orozco, DIME, World Bank
- Rubab Khaleel: "Bridging the Gap: Analysing Public Transportation Policies in Pakistan and the UK for Regional Development". Cluster members and other 探花社区 colleagues include Amy Burnett, 探花社区-CEEDR, Simon Lodato, 探花社区, and Ericka Rascon Ramirez, 探花社区-DoS.
Outputs
- Angelovski, A., Kujal, P. and Mavridis, C., 2024. Deciding for Others: Local Public Good Contributions with Intermediaries. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics.
- Balafoutas, L., Batsaikhan, M. and Sutter, M. 2023. Competitiveness of entrepreneurs and salaried workers. Management Science.
- Batsaikhan, M., Gørtz, M., Kennes, J., Lyng, R., Monte, D. and Tumennasan, N. 2024. Discrimination and daycare choice: evidence from a randomized survey . The Journal of Human Resources.
- Bejarano, H., Gillet, J. and Rodriguez鈥怢ara, I., 2018. Do negative random shocks affect trust and trustworthiness?. Southern Economic Journal, 85(2), pp.563-579.
- Bezin, E., Chabe-Ferret, B. and de la Croix, D. 2024. Strategic fertility, education choices, and conflicts in deeply divided societies. Journal of European Economic Association.
- Costas-Fernández, J. and Lodato, S., 2024. Distributional effects of immigration and imperfect labour markets. Economics Letters, 242.
- López, D., Dockendorff, A. and Lodato, S., Political entrepreneurs and interest groups in the CPTPP ratification process in Chile: A case of politicization? World Affairs. .
- Novella, R. and Rascon Ramirez, E., 2024. Question-order effects on judgements under uncertainty. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics,109.
Our partners
DEMAP works closely with organisations in the UK and internationally.
Key partners include:
- Development Impact Group, The World Bank, US
- Start Network, UK
- Splice Media, Nigeria.
Events
DEMAP supports knowledge exchange through a series of online workshops.
Our staff
- Dr Ericka Rascon Ramirez
- Dr Simon Lodato
- Dr Andrej Angelovski
- Dr Bastien Chabé-Ferret
- Dr Mongoljin Batsaikhan
- Prof Praveen Kujal
- Dr Li Tang.
Get in touch
- Simon Lodato - s.lodato@mdx.ac.uk
- Andrej Angelovski - a.angelovski@mdx.ac.uk
- Ericka Rascon Ramirez - e.ramirez@mdx.ac.uk