Heterodox economics concepts in developing understanding of real world issues

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Assessing the effectiveness of heterodox
economics concepts in developing understanding of
real world issues
Andrew Mearman, University of the West of
England Tim Wakeley, Griffith University,
Australia DEE conference, Cambridge, 6-7
September 2007 Economics Network funded
mini-project
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Heterodox economics concepts
Aim of the research
To find out if heterodox economics generates
understanding of economic issues
Why?
Many heterodox economists claim (often because
of its realism) heterodox economics should be in
the syllabus others argue it can be confusing.
There is a paucity of data either way.
Problem
How to find out? RCE? Without asking leading
questions?
Our (imperfect) solution
Mixed methods methodology Survey (via internet
questionnaire) economics students focus group
interviews
appeal to lecturers via known networks EN, RES,
AHE SHE
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Heterodox Economics concepts
What is heterodox economics?
adjunct to the usual mainstream syllabus
including behavioural economics, evolutionary
economics, Marxist economics, etc... pluralist
approach (?) Problematic concept Solution
avoid use of heterodox or other paradigm
identifiers wherever possible
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Heterodox economics concepts
The survey tool

• An internet based questionnaire
  (www.survey.bris.ac.uk)
• Questions about background, experience, and
  attitudes to economics
• 5 point ( non-applicable response) Likert
  scale used to gather data on attitudes - of
  particular interest here are

Might allow us to infer if pluralist approaches
lead to frustration /or confusion
I find studying economics to be relatively
easy I find economics to be frustrating I
find economics confusing My recent economics
unit(s) has (have) helped me understand the world
better than did other economics units I have
previously studied
where the student has a background in economics
allows us to infer if the subsequent introduction
of heterodox elements leads to a perception of
added value
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Illustrative Results so Far
I find studying Economics to be relatively easy
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Illustrative Results so Far
I find studying Economics to be frustrating
71.56 of respondents are neutral or disagree
(with varying degrees of strength).
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Illustrative Results so Far
I find Economics confusing
78.40 of respondents are neutral or disagree
(with varying degrees of strength) either
economics is generally clear to students or
inclusion of heterodox economics in the syllabus
is not necessarily a factor which gives rise to
confusion for many.
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Illustrative Results so Far
My recent Economics unit(s) has (have) helped me
understand the world better than did other
Economics units I have previously
studied (Filtered Responses Yes to Q12
Studied Economics Before? 561)
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Heterodox economics concepts

• Future data analysis
• comparison of perceptions responses (Q15) with
  biographical information
• collation and analysis of open responses on key
  concepts (Q16) and missing topics (Q17)
• use responses to Q16 and Q17 to inform remaining
  focus groups
• triangulate with focus group responses
• description of complex environment
• Problems
• sample composition is highly uncertain and
  difficult to ascertain must assume is biased
  but how?
• non-parametric data limits scope for
  quantitative analysis

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Heterodox economics concepts

• Focus groups
• Process
• students known to have encountered heterodox
  material
• 3-8 members (plus facilitator me or Tim
  Wakeley)
• 90 minutes approx. in duration
• address single question how effective is
  economics in creating understanding.?
  unstructured thereafter
• option open to discuss areas pertinent to
  heterodox concepts e.g. consumer decisions
  persuasion versus consumer sovereign
• employ gap analysis (proving difficult)
• unpredictable process - rich data

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Heterodox economics concepts

• Focus groups
• Initial findings
• wide range of topics discussed
• students taught perspectives happy with
  ambiguity
• students often react against excessive
  abstractness
• Key useful heterodox (?) concepts
• - needs (versus wants)
• happiness
• innovation
• ethics
• sustainability