Games Extends the Format of Working with Students
The first research seminar of GAMES group in the new academic year took place. The members of the group told about the existing and planned researches and new clubs for students.
Students of different years and directions from economics, management and business informatics faculty of HSE-Perm came to the first seminar. Yevgeny Ozhegov, curator of the seminar, told about the formats of its work: “The first format is a research seminar where the members of the GAMES laboratory present the results of their projects, discuss the studies and current progress. The second is a students’ research seminar where the guys present their works. As practice shows, after their speaking they get precious information which helps to make their study better”.
Yevgeny Ozhegov also told that this year new formats of work will appear. For example, Yevgeny will curate the students’ club “Econometrics for Academics”: “The club is meant for those who have already started to study or who have studied the course of econometrics. As a rule, in most studies econometrical instruments are used, and students have questions on their applications. The club will help them to solve the problem. If there are volunteers, we will gather a team and will also prepare for academic competitions”.
The second club named “Mathematics for Fun” will be curated by Aleksei Chadov. “We will include in the club’s programme those disciplines which are connected with mathematics and economics, but which are not included in educational programme. Conventionally the disciplines can be divided into those connected with econometrics and those connected with mathematical modelling. If students have a wish to do mathematical analysis, to use it for solution of some economical questions, then our club is what they need” – Aleksei explained. However the choice of tasks will be various and sundry, for example, “A task about selecting the fiancée”.
The members of the GAMES group also presented the studies which are at the development stage and in which students can take part. Yevgeny Ozhegov takes part in a number of projects: “A serious study focused on mortgage banking is practically finished. Two projects can be separated from it: the demand estimation of mortgage products and the study of borrowers’ behaviour on credit risk estimation”. Besides, Yevgeny is now working over the project on the study of microfinancial organizations providing loans online. Within the framework of this study a series of experiments is planned.
“Another project is the study of residential real estate market. We are interested in the following questions: how the price of an apartment depends on the location, on the district where it is situated” - the author explained.
The last big group of projects is connected with the demand estimation for cultural projects: “We studied the demand for films, in particular, the difference of box office between one film and films with sequels. The project of demand estimation for theatrical services is at the beginning stage, for example, Perm opera and ballet theatre is interested in the question how to form ticket prices”.
Yevgenia Popova told about the large-scale project focused on power market study: “We want to study spatial aspects which exist on the electric power wholesale market. It is obvious that power consumption in one region depends on consumption in adjacent regions. We try to analyse whether prices change because of location of sale or because of institutional change of market structure. In general we would like to assess if there is a collusion on the market, through the example of Perm region”.
Aleksei Chadov presented a project on the study of cellular communication subscribers: “We have data about subscribers, based on which we can study their behaviour. All kinds of questions are interesting to us. Is it true that people who talk to each other select one and the same tariffs? Do 70% of subscribers really call to mainly 3 numbers? And how the behaviour of the rest of subscribers is distributed?” Aleksei also noted that the main things for participation in the project are willingness and interest.
Natalya Kochkina told about the project that presupposes the study of demand function in case of selection of several types of goods: “Such behaviour is characteristic for retail where a consumer puts a detergent, groats, fruit etc. in one basket. And in this case the demand is formed in a different way. We want to use such methodology in our studies. But at the moment this project is at start-up level”.
In the end of the first part of the meeting Dmitriy Potapov, head of the GAMES group, presented joint projects carried out with “SemYa” hypermarket chain: “We are interested in consumer’s behaviour inside a shop. A variety of factors influences him: advertisements, discounts, product range etc. Probably this year a separate direction will be focused on the fact how behavioural history of a consumer influences his choice. Of course, these are difficult studies, but they are on trend now”. Dmitriy underlined that besides a wish, a readiness to spend time and to put efforts is important for a full-scale participation in the project.
During the second part of the seminar the participants of the GAMES research group, members of International laboratory of intangible-driven economy and students organized the “brain storm”, having discussed the possibility to assess the influence of import substitution effect and plummeting of exchange rates on the choice of consumers in one of hypermarkets.
Meetings of the GAMES research group seminar will take place every week, on Wednesdays. Check out the announcements on site! You can familiarize with all research projects on the GAMES group site.
As early as on Wednesday, October 7, the regular meeting of the GAMES research group seminar will take place. Nikolay Kuznetsov, the 4th year student of “Economics” educational programme, will make a report. The topic of the report is “The Study of Online Behaviour of Potential Borrowers of the Bank”. Everybody is invited at 4.00 p.m. in building #4 (27 Lebedeva str.), room 310.