© Scott McDonald
Practical CGE Modelling
Target Audiences
The target audiences for this course are
- Model users, e.g., policy analysts, researchers, consultants, etc.,
- Potential model developers, e.g., graduate students, researchers, academics, etc.,
- (Advanced) Commissioners of policy studies seeking to be better ‘customers’.
This course is NOT designed for Policy makers or Commissioners of models who are only interested in understanding the uses and abuses of CGE models and interpretation of CGE model results (see the Policymakers CGE course if these are the skills you seek).
Course Aims
To provide a practical introduction to CGE modelling using GAMS so that participants can understand
- databases used by CGE models;
- the properties of behavioural relationships used in CGE models;
- the formulation of appropriate CGE policy experiments; and
- the results generated by simple CGE models.
Course Objectives
On completion of the course the participants will have the ability to:
- formulate and code appropriate policy experiments;
- modify simple behavioural relationships;
- interpret the results from simple CGE models; and
- identify and understand the strengths and limitations of 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 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 claimants than about CGE models.