Consumer Benefits from Increased Competition in Shopping Outlets: Measuring the Effect of Wal-Mart
Jerry Hausman
Tue Jan 17, 01-02:30pm, E51-151
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
I measure the effect of Wal-mart on food prices
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Essentials of Estate Planning
Fidelity Investments
Thu Feb 2, 12:30-02:00pm, Bush Room, 10-105
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This workshop provides a basic overview of estate planning including wills, trusts, and the fundamentals of a sound estate plan. Attendees will walk away with a general understanding of estate planning and what to consider when their retirement plan balances are a significant part of their estate. This event is cosponsored by Fidelity Investments.
Contact: Paul Gunning, Retirement Counselor, Fidelity Investments, 258-8872, paul.gunning@fmr.com
Sponsor: Human Resources
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How to Save a Million Dollars: The Power of Tax-Deferred Saving Programs
Jim Poterba
Mon Jan 9, 02:30-03:30pm, E51-372
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This one-hour lecture will highlight the power of saving through tax-deferred saving programs. It will describe the basic structure of these plans and discuss how to evaluate the long-run wealth-building opportunities of different plans. The lecture will emphasize the importance of focusing on after-tax wealth accumulation and discuss the tax treatment of different saving vehicles.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Investing in Uncertain Markets: 2005 Year-End Review
Roland Jacobson, Investment Consultant, Fidelity Investments
Thu Jan 26, 12-01:00pm, Stratton (W20), Mezz
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This session focuses on the economy, the financial markets, and how the uncertain nature of these factors can affect your retirement savings. Attendees will understand that having an investment strategy can help weather the ups and downs of these uncertain times. This event is cosponsored by Fidelity Investments.
Contact: Paul Gunning, Retirement Counselor, Fidelity Investments, 258-8872, paul.gunning@fmr.com
Sponsor: Human Resources
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Microfinance and Development
Bill Massaquoi, Team of Practitioners
Mon Jan 23 thru Fri Jan 27, 09am-02:00pm, 66-144
No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 20-Jan-2006
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Like many of us, poor people need financial services-working capital, consumer loans, savings, etc, but they rarely have access to these services through the formal financial sector. High credit risk, high transactions cost, and unacceptable collateral are reasons why the formal financial sector has not traditionally dealt with poor people. But this picture has changed over the past 20 years. Indeed on every continent, there is a growing financial market for poor people. These services have come to be collectively known as microfinance. But just how does microfinance fit into the development tool box? This exciting IAP course will provide an intensive immersion into the field of microfinance and show how it fits into the development continuum.
Contact: Bill Massaquoi, billmass@mit.edu
Sponsor: Urban Studies and Planning
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Most projects fail and other things I've learned from (trying to do) empirical research
Amy Finkelstein
Thu Jan 12, 11am-12:00pm, E51-390
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
A short talk and then open discussion on some of the joys as well as pit falls of trying to do empirical research, particularly when first starting out. Hopefully of interest for economics graduate students doing (or trying to do) empirical research.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Numerical Techniques in Economics
Stephen Ryan
Thu Jan 26, 09:30-10:30am, E51-372
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This talk will focus on introducing people to a variety of numerical techniques that can be useful in economic research. I will cover a little background on programming compiled languages versus interpreted environments like Matlab, equation solving and function minimization, dynamic programming, numerical integration and differentiation, and some references for further work.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Saving For Retirement: What Every Woman Needs to Know
Diane Bolden, Fidelity Investments
Wed Jan 18, 12:30-01:30pm, Bush Room, 10-105
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This workshop focuses on specific challenges for women saving for retirement: rising life expectancies, nonlinear employment history, and compensation. Attendees will learn how to set up an action plan to take control of their financial future. This event is cosponsored by Fidelity Investments.
Contact: Paul Gunning, Retirement Counselor, Fidelity Investments, 258-8872, paul.gunning@fmr.com
Sponsor: Human Resources
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Searching for a mate: evidence from speed dating experiments?
Ray Fisman Columbia University
Tue Jan 10, 02-03:00pm, E51-372
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Economists don't believe in survey results. We call it 'cheap talk.' This applies to an even greater extent in realms where individuals have trouble admitting their true preferences to themselves, let alone reporting these preferences to others. We study dating preferences through the revealed choices of real-life daters in a research speed-dating service that was set up for this purpose. This talk will thus analyze what men and women really want, as revealed by their actions in a real dating situation. Lots of confirmations of old stereotypes (what your grandmother told you is true, at least in some cases), as well as a fair number of surprises.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Start with the MIT 401(k) Plan and Build a Powerful Investment Strategy
Paul Gunning, Retirement Counselor, Fidelity Investments
Tue Jan 17, 12-01:00pm, Stratton (W20)-Mezz.
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This workshop focuses on employees who have not yet enrolled or those in the Plan who simply need help saving for retirement. Learn about the power of long-term saving and how participating in the Plan is a great benefit. Check out the tools and resources that will help you budget, plan, and save for a successful retirement. This event is cosponsored by Fidelity Investments.
Contact: Paul Gunning, Retirement Counselor, Fidelity Investments, 258-8872, paul.gunning@fmr.com
Sponsor: Human Resources
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Testing the effectiveness of anti-poverty programs
Rachel Glennerster
Wed Feb 1, 10:30-11:30am, E51-151
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
"The Poverty Action Lab" we are now the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action"
The goal of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab is to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy decisions are based on scientific evidence. We do this by undertaking and promoting the use of rigorous randomized evaluations of poverty programs so that we can build up an evidence base of what works in reducing poverty. This talk will discuss how we go about measuring the impact on peoples lives of programs such as micro credit and community driven development. We will discuss ways to quantify outcomes such as women's empowerment, trust, and social capital--issues that are crucial to our work.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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The Black Market for Antiquities
Michael Kremer Harvard University, Tom Wilkening
Wed Feb 1, 03-04:00pm, E51-325
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
The cultural heritage and archeological evidence of much of the world is in critical threat of being destroyed from the black market trade of antiquities. This workshop will take a closer look at the causes of the black market in antiquities market and looks at economic approaches to try to improve the situation.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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The Economics of E-Retail
Sara Ellison
Thu Jan 26, 10:30-11:30am, E51-372
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This talk is meant as an introduction to some of the interesting economic questions that arise in e-retailing with many real-world examples.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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The Economy of the Early Roman Empire
Peter Temin
Wed Jan 18, 01-02:00pm, E51-151
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Summary of recent research showing how the Roman economy operated in its heyday
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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The State of the World Economy
Olivier Blanchard, Robert Solow
Tue Jan 24, 01-02:00pm, E51-325
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
A tour of the world, and the main macroeconomic issues of the day, from growth in China, to the slump in Europe, to the current account deficit in the United States.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-252, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Understanding Your MIT Retirement Plans
Ellen Cushman, Kim Forness, MIT Retirement Counselors
Wed Jan 11, 12-01:00pm, Stratton (W20)-407
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This workshop is designed for employees who want a review of how the MIT Retirement Plans work and the specific provisions of both Plans. Highlights include an in-depth review of the features and benefits of the MIT Basic Retirement Plan and the MIT Supplemental 401(k) Plan. There will also be a discussion of the tools, information, and services available to help you with your retirement planning.
Contact: Ellen Cushman, ecushman@mit.edu
Sponsor: Human Resources
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What Can You Do with a Course 14 Degree?
Jon Gruber
Thu Jan 19, 10:30-11:30am, E51-361
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Panel of former course 14 majors will discuss their post-graduation career path.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, E52-352, x3-3971, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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