Elhanan Helpman
Encyclopedia
Elhanan Helpman is an Israel
i-American
economist
who works in the field of international trade
, political economy
and economic growth
.
in 1969. He continued his education at Tel Aviv University and graduated with a M.A. in economics in 1971. He enrolled at Harvard University
in 1971 and graduated with a Ph.D. in economics in 1974. He returned to Israel, where he was a lecturer and later a university professor from 1974 to 2004 at Tel Aviv University. Since 1997 he is also a professor of economics at Harvard University.
He was an active participant in Israeli policy debates, and was a member of the advisory board of the Bank of Israel
, the Council for National Planning and the National Council for Research and Development. He is married to Ruth Helpman, who is a financial analyst. Together they have two daughters.
. Elhanan Helpman is one of the founders of the new trade theory
and endogenous growth theory
which both emphasize economies of scale
and imperfect competition
. In the field of political economy his research focuses on how the interaction of lobby groups and politicians shapes trade policy. More recently his works study the relationship between international trade and the organization of firms.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
who works in the field of international trade
International trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product...
, political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
and economic growth
Economic growth
In economics, economic growth is defined as the increasing capacity of the economy to satisfy the wants of goods and services of the members of society. Economic growth is enabled by increases in productivity, which lowers the inputs for a given amount of output. Lowered costs increase demand...
.
Biography
Born in the Soviet Union, the family moved to Poland where he attended a Jewish school. Later his family emigrated to Israel, where he completed elementary and high school. Initially he wanted to study engineering, but during his military service from 1963 to 1966 he decided to study economics. He graduated with a B.A. in economics and statistics from Tel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
in 1969. He continued his education at Tel Aviv University and graduated with a M.A. in economics in 1971. He enrolled at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1971 and graduated with a Ph.D. in economics in 1974. He returned to Israel, where he was a lecturer and later a university professor from 1974 to 2004 at Tel Aviv University. Since 1997 he is also a professor of economics at Harvard University.
He was an active participant in Israeli policy debates, and was a member of the advisory board of the Bank of Israel
Bank of Israel
The Bank of Israel is the central bank of Israel. It is located in Kiryat HaMemshala in Israel's capital city of Jerusalem, with a branch office in Tel Aviv. The current governor is Stanley Fischer.-History:...
, the Council for National Planning and the National Council for Research and Development. He is married to Ruth Helpman, who is a financial analyst. Together they have two daughters.
Awards
- In 1990, Helpman was awarded the Mahalanobis Memorial Medal by the Indian Econometric Society.
- In 1991, he was awarded the Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, for economics.
Research
His research focuses on international trade, economic growth, and the political economy of trade policy. He frequently collaborated with Gene GrossmanGene Grossman
Gene Michael Grossman is currently the Jacob Viner Professor of International Economics at Princeton University. He received his B.A. in Economics from Yale University in 1976 and his Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980...
. Elhanan Helpman is one of the founders of the new trade theory
New Trade Theory
New Trade Theory is a collection of economic models in international trade which focuses on the role of increasing returns to scale and network effects, which were developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s....
and endogenous growth theory
Endogenous growth theory
Endogenous growth theory holds that economic growth is primarily the result of endogenous and not external force. In Endogenous growth theory investment in human capital, innovation and knowledge are significant contributors to economic growth. The theory also focus on positive externalities and...
which both emphasize economies of scale
Economies of scale
Economies of scale, in microeconomics, refers to the cost advantages that an enterprise obtains due to expansion. There are factors that cause a producer’s average cost per unit to fall as the scale of output is increased. "Economies of scale" is a long run concept and refers to reductions in unit...
and imperfect competition
Imperfect competition
In economic theory, imperfect competition is the competitive situation in any market where the conditions necessary for perfect competition are not satisfied...
. In the field of political economy his research focuses on how the interaction of lobby groups and politicians shapes trade policy. More recently his works study the relationship between international trade and the organization of firms.
Published works
- Market Structure and Foreign Trade, with Paul KrugmanPaul KrugmanPaul Robin Krugman is an American economist, professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Centenary Professor at the London School of Economics, and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times...
, MIT Press, 1985. - Innovation and Growth in the Global Economy, with Gene GrossmanGene GrossmanGene Michael Grossman is currently the Jacob Viner Professor of International Economics at Princeton University. He received his B.A. in Economics from Yale University in 1976 and his Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980...
, MIT Press, 1991. - Special Interest Politics, with Gene GrossmanGene GrossmanGene Michael Grossman is currently the Jacob Viner Professor of International Economics at Princeton University. He received his B.A. in Economics from Yale University in 1976 and his Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980...
, MIT Press, 2001. - The Mystery of Economic Growth, MIT Press, 2004.