The Armenian Economic Association 2015 annual meetings will be jointly hosted by Yerevan State University
(YSU), the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA-Dilijan), and the American University of Armenia (AUA) on June 19-21.
It concludes with a workshop at CBA-Yerevan on June 22nd. There is no fee to attend the meetings. Register
here. for the conference, and here for the workshop.

Keynote speakers:
Armen Hovakimian, Chairman, Department of Economics and Finance, Baruch College, City University of New
York (4PM, June 19th  at Yerevan State University)
David Dole, Country Director, Asian Development Bank (Noon, June 21st at American University)

Workshop:
"Forecasting techniques and forecast evaluation" will be conducted by Tatevik Sekhposyan, Texas A&M
University, formerly of central Bank of Canada (10AM-3PM, June 22nd at CBA-Yerevan)

Social Events:
Reception, Akian Gallery, American University of Armenia (7:30-9PM, June 19th)
Excursion to Haghartsin Monastery (3PM, June 20th, from CBA-Dilijan)

Best Paper Awards:
Armen Alchian Awards (3 of general interest): EUR 200, 150, 100
Grigor Artzruni Awards (3 for young scholars): EUR 125, 100, 75
International Monetary Fund Awards (2): USD 100, 50 (Macroeconomics and International Economics only)

Sponsors:
The conference is sponsored by YSU, CBA, and AUA, and supported by a generous grant from GIZ. See details.

Preliminary Program
Note: All keynote speeches, sessions (unless shown below in Armenian), and workshop are in English.

Friday, June 19, 2015 -- Yerevan State University (YSU), Faculty of Economics (Abovyan street #52)

14:00 Registration

15:00 Welcome, Main Hall
•        Aram Simonyan, YSU Rector (in Armenian)
•        Hayk Sargsyan, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at YSU (in Armenian)
•        Aleksandr Grigoryan, AEA President (in English)

15:30 Short Break

15:40 Keynote lecture, Main Hall
Lecture title: Systemic Risk
Armen Hovakimian, Baruch College, City University of New York
(Introduction and moderator: Zareh Asatryan, AEA Executive Director)

16:30 Coffee Break

17:00 Session 1A: Agriculture/Environment 1 (Room 208)

Chair: Gayane Barseghyan, Central bank of Armenia and American University of Armenia

The Impact of Agricultural Cooperatives on Livelihoods in Rural Armenia: A Propensity Score Matching Approach,
Natalie Quinn, University of Oxford, UK (with Bet Caeyers, Institute for Fiscal Studies, UK)

Perception of water price and service quality: An empirical analysis of household water consumption in Armenia,
Naira Harutyunyan, Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Central European University, Hungary

The Role of Family Farming in the Sustainable Development of the Agricultural Sector in Georgia, Salome
Gelashvili, Phatima Mamardashvili, Irakli Kochlamazashvili, and Ia Katsia, Agricultural Policy Research Center
(APRC) at ISET Policy Institute, Georgia

Discussants:
Naira Harutyunyan, Central European University, Hungary
Natalie Nairi Quinn, University of Oxford, UK

19:30-21:00 Reception, Akian Gallery, American University of Armenia

Saturday, June 20, -- Central Bank of Armenia - Dilijan

8:30-9:00 Depart for Dilijan from CBA-Yerevan

10:30 Session 2A: Macroeconomics 1 (Room 202)

Chair: Ashot Mkrtchyan, Central Bank of Armenia

Specific and General Types of Human Capital, Vahagn Jerbashian, University of Barcelona and CERGE-EI (with
Evangelia Vourvachaki, Bank of Greece and Sergey Slobodyan, CERGE-EI)

Monetary Policy, Expectations Heterogeneity and Structural Uncertainty, Tsvetomira Tsenova, Bulgarian National
Bank Adviser

Spillovers from Global and Regional Shocks to Armenia, Teresa Daban, IMF (with Knarik Ayvazyan, Central Bank
of Armenia)

Discussants:
Tsvetomira Tsenova, Bulgarian National Bank
Vahagn Jerbashian, University of Barcelona and CERGE-EI

10:30 Session 2B: : Sorting/Norms (Room 234)

Chair: Florian Biermann, ISET, Georgia

Friendship Markets, Florian Biermann, ISET, Georgia (with Nikoloz Pkhakadze and Saba Devdariani)

The Heuristic of Subsets: A Model of Probabilistic Discrimination, Aram Grigoryan, ISET, Georgia

Social Norms of Distributive Justice and Kuznets Curve, David Adunts, American University of Armenia

Hegel and the welfare state: the income inequality problem of modern macroeconomics, Aleksandr V.
Gevorkyan, St. John University, New York

Discussants
Aleksandr V. Gevorkyan, St. John University, New York
David Adunts, American University of Armenia
Aram Grigoryan, ISET, Georgia
Florian Biermann, ISET, Georgia

10:30 Session 2C: Finance 1 (Room 101)

Chair: Sevan Hambarsoomian, University of Wuppertal, Germany

Loan pricing: how did banks react to the risk increase in the French Food Industry? Lilia Aleksanyan, Université
Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne/Paris School of Economics and Sciences Po Paris

The effect of founder manager in private equity firms, Sevan Hambarsoomian, University of Wuppertal, Germany
(with André Betzer and Peter Limbach)

Discussants:
Sevan Hambarsoomian, University of Wuppertal, Germany
Lilia Aleksanyan, Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne/Paris School of Economics and Sciences Po Paris

12:00 Lunch
Speaker: Martin Galstyan, Central Bank of Armenia

13:30 Session 3A: Macroeconomics 2 (Room 202)

Chair: Vahagn Jerbashian, University of Barcelona and CERGE-EI

An econometric analysis of the determinants of International reserves - Example of Georgia, Nino Buliskeria,
ISET and National Bank of Georgia

Monetary Policy and Endogenous Growth: Can Monetary Policy Affect TFP Growth? Aram Grigoryan, University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

Dutch Disease in Armenia: By Sector Study, Arpine Sahakyan, American University of Armenia

Foreign exchange regime in small open transition economy: macroeconomics, expectations and external
factors, Aleksandr V. Gevorkyan, St. John University, New York

Discussants:
Karen Poghosyan, Central Bank of Armenia
Aleksandr V. Gevorkyan, St. John University, New York
Aram Grigoryan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
Vahagn Jerbashian, University of Barcelona and CERGE-EI

13:30  Session 3B: Migration/Trade (Room 234)

Chair: Gurgen Aslanyan, Central Bank of Armenia

Trade Costs and the Two Globalizations: 1827-2012, Jules Hugot, Sciences Po Paris, France

Why is Agricultural Productivity so Low but Exports so High? David Gomtsyan, University of Turin, Italy

Labor Remittances and Public Finance, Zareh Asatryan, Zew (with Benjamin Bittschi, Zew and KIT, and Philipp
Dorrenberg, Zew)

Discussants:
David Gomtsyan, University of Turin, Italy (1)
Jules Hugot, Sciences Po Paris, France (2)
Gurgen Aslanyan, Central Bank of Armenia (3)

15:00 Depart for sightseeing/Yerevan

Sunday, June 21, 2015 – American University of Armenia (AUA), College of Business and Economics

9:30 Session 4A: Finance/Banking 2 (Room 213W)

Chair: Levon Barkhudaryan

The Impact of Capital and Liquidity Regulation: Evidence from European Banks, Armen Arakelyan, CUNEF,
Spain (with Artashes Karapetyan, Central Bank of Norway)

Collateral versus Informed Screening during Banking Relationships, Artashes Karapetyan, Central Bank of
Norway (with Bogdan Stacescu, BI Norwegian Business School)        

Pre-IPO investments, Kristine Sahakyan, BI Norwegian Business School, Norway (with Viktoriia Kuzmenko, BI
Norwegian Business School)

Comparative financial analysis of commercial banks in RA, Yenok Hakobyan, Yerevan State University

Discussants:
Sevan Hambarsoomian, University of Wuppertal, Germany (3)
Artashes Karapetyan, Central Bank of Norway (4)

9:30 Session 4B: Migration (Room 214W)

Chair: Sona Kalantaryan, EUI, Italy

Emigration intentions: theory and evidence, Aleksandr Grigoryan, American University of Armenia

Measuring the integration of migrants in the EU: a comparative multidimensional approach, Sona Kalantaryan,
EUI, Italy (with Anna Di Bartolomeo and Sara Bonfanti)

Urban Amenities and Internal Migration in Slovakia, Sergey Avetisyan, Central Bank of Armenia (with Stefan
Rehak, University of Economics in Bratislava)

Discussants
Aleksandr Grigoryan, American University of Armenia (1)
Sona Kalantaryan, EUI, Italy (2)

11:00 Coffee Break

11:30 Session 5A: Agriculture/Environment 2 (Room 213W)

Chair: Vardan Urutyan, ICARE

Modeling Crop Yield Index Insurance in Armenia: The Example of Grape Yield Insurance in Armavir Region, Lilit
Papikyan, ICARE

Identifying Socio-Economic Characteristics Affecting the Economic Condition of Households in Rural Areas of
Armenia, Vardges Bokhyan, ICARE

Consumer Response to State Marketing Programs on Ornamental Plants in Florida, Hayk Khachatryan,
University of Florida, USA (with Alicia Rihn, Benjamin Campbel, Bridget Behe, Charles Hall)

11:30 Session 5B: Advanced econometrics using Microsoft Excel (Room 233W)

Demsontrstion of Excel App developed by Karen Poghosyan, Central Bank of Armenia

13:00-14:30 Lunch
Keynote lecture, David Dole, Asian Development Bank
(Introduction and moderator: Gohar Stepanyan, AEA Board Member)

14:30 Session 6A: Firm Behavior (Room 213W)

Chair: Vardan Avagyan, School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands

Welfare Analysis of a Minimal Capital Requirement, Aram Butavyan, Central Bank Armenia

Taxes and Business Philanthropy in Armenia, Zareh Asatryan, ZEW, Germany (with David Joulfaian, USA)

Riding Successive Product Diffusion Waves: Building a Tsunami via Upgrade-Rebate Programs, Vardan
Avagyan, School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands (with Mercedes Esteban-Bravo,
University of Carlos 3, Madrid; Jose Vidal-Sanz, University of Carlos 3, Madrid)

Discussants
Vardan Avagyan, School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands (2)
Anahit Armenakyan, Nipissing University, Canada (3)

14:30 Session 6B: Experimental and Behavioral Economics (Room 233W)

Chair: Karen Khachatryan, Middlesex University, London, UK

Cognitive ability and preferences in Armenia, Anna Martirosyan, Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, UK

Entrepreneurial Overconfidence and Market Selection, Karen Khachatryan, Middlesex University, London, UK
(with Jorgen W Weibull, Stockholm School of Economics)

Discussants:
Karen Khachatryan, Middlesex University, London, UK


14:30 Session 6C: Currency regulation policy in Armenia: risks and challenges (Room 214W )

Chair: Edward Sandoyan, Russian Armenian University

Speakers: Mariam Voskanyan, Lida Mnatsakanyan, Michael Barseghyan -- Russian Armenian University

16:00 Break

16:30 Session 7A: Households/Education (Room 213W)

Chair: Anahit Armenakyan, Nipissing University, Canada

Identifying Socio-Economic Characteristics Affecting Happiness in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, Sona
Telunts, ICARE (with Rafael Bakhtavoryan)

Performance-based grants improve student-school matching, Astghik Serobyan, Central Bank of Armenia

Welfare Analysis of Gas Price Increase in the Republic of Armenia, Gayane Sargsyan, ICARE

Consumer Ethnocentrism in Modern Armenia, Anahit Armenakyan, Nipissing University, Canada

International Migration as a Way of Insurance? Evidence from Armenia, Aleksandr Shirkhanyan, Central Bank of
Armenia

16:30  Session 7B: Political Economy (Room 214 W)

Chair: Vardan Baghdasaryan, American University of Armenia

Vote buying or (political) business (cycles) as usual? Lusine Badalyan, University of Bremen and Jacobs
University, Germany (with Toke Aidt, University of Cambridge and CESifo, Munich; Zareh Asatryan, ZEW
Mannheim and University of Freiburg; and Friedrich Heinemann, ZEW Mannheim and University of Heidelberg)

Costly Voting With Three Candidates, Mariam Arzumanyan, Central Bank of Armenia (with Mattias Polborn
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Electoral fraud and voter turnout: experimental study, Vardan Baghdasaryan, American University of Armenia
(with Giovanna Iannantuoni and Valeria Maggian, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy)

Discussants:
Vardan Baghdasaryan, American University of Armenia
Lusine Badalyan, University of Bremen and Jacobs University, Germany
Zareh Asatryan, ZEW, Germany

16;30 7C: Student Session (Room 233W)

Chair: Aleksandr Grigoryan, American University of Armenia

Analysis of Consumption-Investment trade-off in the economy of Armenia, Ashot Nanyan, Yerevan State
University

Mandatory or voluntary funded pension system? Samvel Hovhannisyan, Armenian State University of Economics

Peculiarities and Problems of Introducing Agricultural Cooperatives in the Republic of Armenia, Suren
Movsisyan, AN Agrarian University


18:00 Break

19:00 Best paper award ceremony (Room 213W)

Monday, June 22, 2015 -- Central Bank of Armenia, Yerevan
10:00-15:00 Workshop


ԵՊՀ Սեսսիա 1B - Ներկա խնդիրներ ՀՀ տնտեսությունում I

Նախագահող` Արամ Առաքելյան

Արամ Առաքելյան (ԵՊՀ) tba

Բագրատ Ասատրյան (ԵՊՀ) Հայաստանը նոր ճգնաժամի նախաշեմին

Ժիրայր Մխիթարյան (ԵՊՀ) Սահմանադրականության գնահատման հայեցակարգային մոտեցումները

Լիլիթ Ասոյան (ԳԱԱ դասախոս) ՌԴ միգրացիոն օրենսդրության ազդեցությունը ՀՀ աշխատաշուկայի վրա


ՀԱՀ Սեսսիա 5C - Ներկա խնդիրներ ՀՀ տնտեսությունում II (Room 214W)

Նախագահող` Հայկ Սարգսյան

Հերմինե Կատվալյան (ՀՊՏՀ) ՀՀ տնտեսական աճի վրա արտաքին պետական պարտքի ազդեցության գնահատումը

Նունե Գևորգյան (ԵՊՀ) Բանկային ֆինանսական ժամանակային շարքերի սպեկտրալ վերլուծությունը

Նորայր Մալխասյան (ԵՊՀ) ՀՀ արտահանման մրցունակությունը ԵՄ եւ ԱՊՀ շուկաներում

Սեդա Նահապետյան (ԵՊՀ ասպիրանտ) Սահմանադրականության արդի զարգացումների որոշ ասպեկտներ

Շողեր Ղազարյան (ԵՊՀ հայցորդ) Փակ-նատուրալ տնտեսության մոդելը