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Professor Parviz Dabir-Alai

Emeritus Professor of Economics

Contact:
Email: dabirp@richmond.ac.uk
School: Richmond Business School
Research centre: Wellbeing Research

About

Dr. Parviz Dabir-Alai is Emeritus Professor of Economics at Richmond. He has extensive international academic experience having lived and worked in the US, the Caribbean and in South Asia. He is a former Dean of the School of Business & Economics at the University.

His research interests span several areas within the field of development economics and include idiosyncratic labour markets, liberalisation policies, and poverty assessment measures. His teaching interests cover the above areas plus economic theory.

He has published in all these areas as well as in the area of education. Dr. Dabir-Alai is the Editor-in-Chief for the International Journal of Social and Economic Research. He is also linked with several other high-profile international journals such as the International Journal of Happiness and Development for whom he acts as an Associate Editor. At the University he is the Chair of the Wellbeing Research Centre.

Notable amongst other work he has done is Dr Dabir-Alai’s consulting work with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Engineering Institute (at the University of the West Indies) on the financing of large infrastructure projects within the Caribbean region. This was a multi-billion-dollar project financed in part by the OECD.

When younger he had his sights fixed on winning squash trophies. Nowadays he is content with playing backgammon and reading newspapers. He remains a passionate supporter and season ticket holder at Arsenal Football club, the only English football club to go through an entire season unbeaten.

Research interests

  • Development economics (especially in areas such idiosyncratic labour markets, migration, urbanisation issues)
  • Economic liberalisation (especially in areas such as its history, patterns and outcomes)
  • Industrialisation (especially productivity measurement within manufacturing industries in a South Asian context)

I teach on:

Some of the courses I teach:

  • MGT 6972 – Internship in Management
  • ECN 4110 – Introduction to Macroeconomics
  • ECN 5105 – Economic Problem of Developing Countries
  • ECN 4105 – Introduction to Microeconomics
  • ECN 5100 – Economics of Transition

Peer reviewed papers:

  • Dabir-Alai, P. (with Oliveira, A.) (2017), “Adding value by degree: a case study”, International Journals of Education Economics and Development, Vol. 8. No. 1.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. (with Valadkhani, A.) (2016), “Foreign Aid, economic outcomes and happiness”, International Journal of Happiness and Development, Vol. 3, No. 2.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. (with Valadkhani, A., Babacan, A.) (2014), “The Impacts of Rising Energy Prices on Non-Energy Sectors in Australia”, Economic Analysis and Policy, Volume 44, issue 4, 386-395.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. (2012), “‘Impact of the Development of the Knowledge Economy (or Knowledge Economies) in the North on Economies in the South’, editorial entry”, International Journal of Public Policy, Vol. 8, Nos. 4/5/6, 2012.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. (with McIntosh, B; McQuaid, R; and Munro, A) (2012), “Motherhood and its impact on career progression – the case of Scottish nurses 2000-2008”, Gender in Management: an International Journal, Volume 27, issue 5.
  • Correa, A and P. Dabir-Alai (2011), “How does development affect international economic emigration? A case study of Polish emigration to the UK”, International Journal of Education Economics and Development. Volume 2, issue 1, pages 31-60.
  • Zantout, H. and P. Dabir-Alai “The Knowledge Economy in the Context of European Union Policy on Higher Education”, Education, Knowledge & Economy, 2007.
  • Arvin, B. Mak, P. Dabir-Alai and B. Lew “Does Foreign Aid affect the Environment in Developing Countries?”, Journal of Economic Development, Volume 31, Number 1, pp 63-87, 2006.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Informal Markets: Stylised Facts or Fiction?” Journal of Caribbean Issues, Volume 7, Number 1 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Reforming assessment: the case of ‘letter grades’ at UWI’s Social Sciences Faculty” Caribbean Curriculum, Volume 5, Number 2 1995.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Productivity Trends Across Large Scale Manufacturing Industries of India” Indian Economic Review, Volume XXII, Number 2, pp 151-178, 1987.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Capital-Labour Substitution Across Large Scale Manufacturing Industries of India” Manchester Papers on Development, Volume 1, Number 3, pp 45-62, 1985.

Books:

  • Dabir-Alai, P. and Odekon, M. (ed.) “Economic Liberalisation and Labour Markets” Greenwood Press, Westport, Ct., USA 1998.

Book chapters:

  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Political Economy, Liberalisation and Labour’s Absorption: A Generalised View of Recent Experiences” in Dabir-Alai, P. and Odekon, M. (ed.), Economic Liberalisation and Labour Markets, Greenwood Press, Westport, USA 1998.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Planning in India: An overview of key objectives and achievements” in H.D. Vinod (ed.) Study of Indian History and Culture, BHISHMA, Volume 17 (of an 18-volume set), Thane 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Applicability of the ‘problem-based learning’ approach to an international student body: some preliminary results from undergraduate economics” in P. Keizer et. al. (ed.) Educational Innovation in Economics and Business Administration, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht 1995.

Encyclopaedia entries:

  • Dabir-Alai, P. (2015), “Street Children”, Encyclopedia of Economics and Society. Sage Publications, London.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Famine” in World Encyclopedia of Poverty, Volume 1, pp 346-350, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks and London, 2006.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Street trading in urban areas” in the Routledge Development Encyclopaedia, Routledge Publications, London 2004.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “World Commission on Dams” in the Routledge Development Encyclopaedia, Routledge Publications, London 2004.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Harris-Todaro Model” in the Routledge Development Encyclopaedia, Routledge Publications, London 2004.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Urban Petty Trading” in the Readers’ Guide to the Social Sciences, Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, London 2001.

Consultancy reports*:

  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Macroeconomic Overview of Suriname” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’, prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB; April 1997.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Macroeconomic Overview of The Bahamas” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for The Bahamas’, prepared as part of the Caribbean Regional Infrastructure Study Project (CRISP) for the IDB; April 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “Executive Summary on Trinidad and Tobago Country Report” Prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB. Sole author for Economics section as well as overall editorial control for remaining sections; April 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. and UWI colleagues “Caribbean Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda” for the IDB, 171 pages, June 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. and UWI colleagues “Macroeconomic Overview of Barbados” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for Barbados’, prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB; April 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. and UWI colleagues “Macroeconomic Overview of Belize” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for Belize’, prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB; April 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. and UWI colleagues “Macroeconomic Overview of Dominica” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for Dominica’, prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB; April 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. and UWI colleagues “Macroeconomic Overview of Guyana” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for Guyana’, prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB; April 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. and UWI colleagues “Macroeconomic Overview of Jamaica” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for Jamaica’, prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB; April 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. and UWI colleagues “Macroeconomic Overview of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’, prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB, April 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. and UWI colleagues “Macroeconomic Overview of St. Lucia” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for St. Lucia’, prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB; April 1996.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. and UWI colleagues “Macroeconomic Overview of St. Kitts & Nevis” Appearing as Chapter 1 of ‘Infrastructure for Development: A Policy Agenda for St. Kitts & Nevis’, prepared as part of the CRISP for the IDB; April 1996.

* Most of the above consultancy reports were prepared as part of an interdisciplinary team of economists (which I led), engineers, and other scientists and social scientists.

Newspapers:

  • Dabir-Alai, P. “On Austrian Economics” Financial Times (London), July 31, 1995.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “On the link between anti-inflationary programmes and poverty eradication in Brazil” Financial Times (London), March 12, 1994.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “On the definition of ‘services’ and ‘manufacturing’ industries” Financial Times (London), November 21, 1992.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “On trade and the environment” Financial Times (London), February 14, 1992.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “On India’s programme of economic reform” Financial Times (London), August 9, 1991.
  • Dabir-Alai, P. “On the World Bank’s targeting of loans to the private sector within LDCs” Financial Times, (London) May 7, 1991.

Funded Conferences, Presentations and Proceedings:

  • “Income-Education volatility amongst street-vendors of Delhi: A case of educational deepening or something else?” The 8th UKFIET International Conference on Education and Development: Learning and Livelihood, Oxford, September 13-15, 18 pages, 2005.
  • “The Economics of Street-Vending – An empirical framework for measuring vulnerability in Delhi in the late 1990s”. Joint meeting of the Expert Group on Development Issues (EGDI) and the UNU’s World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER), Helsinki – Finland, September 17-19, 36 pages, 2004.
  • “Measuring vulnerability: A case study of Delhi’s street vending communities”, International Conference entitled Livelihoods at the Margin, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, July 8-9, 28 pages, 2004.
  • “The Socio-Economics of Street Vending: A Case Study of Vulnerability for Delhi in the late 1990’s”, Eastern Economic Association’s Annual Meetings, Washington D.C. – USA, February 20-22, 35 pages, 2004.
  • “Political Economy, Liberalization and Labour’s Absorption: A Generalized View of Recent Experiences”, Eastern Economic Association’s Annual Meetings, New York – USA, February 27-March 1, 35 pages. Also appearing in Dabir-Alai, P. and Odekon, M. (ed.), Economic Liberalization and Labor Markets, Greenwood Press, Westport, Ct., USA 1998.
  • “The economics of street-vending in a small metropolitan capital city: Port-of-Spain, Trinidad”, Caribbean Studies Association’s 21st Annual Meetings, San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 27-31, 14 pages 1996.
  • “Street vending within Port of Spain: an exploratory analysis”, Association of Caribbean Economists’ workshop on the Small Business Sector, St. Augustine, Trinidad, November 18, 16 pages 1995.
  • “Anticipating the demand for Caribbean economists in the 21st century: A response to two business sector views”, Association of Caribbean Economists, mimeo 1995.
  • “Resource-rich manufacturing in developing countries: leather goods in India”, Association of Indian Economic Studies’ Annual Meetings, held in conjunction with the American Economic Association’s Annual Meetings, Boston, USA, January 3-5, 18 pages, 1994.
  • “Applicability of the ‘problem-based learning’ approach to an international student body: some preliminary results from undergraduate economics”, conference on Educational Innovation in Economics and Business Administration, University of Limburg, December 9-11, 12 pages, 1993.
  • “Urban formal employment opportunities in the developing world: ‘aspiration’ versus ‘contentment’ for Delhi’s street peddlers”, Eastern Economic Association’s Annual Meetings, New York – USA, March 26-29, 7 pages, 1992.
  • “Informal Markets and the ‘roaming merchants’ of Delhi: a case study”, preliminary findings presented to the Economic and Social Research Council’s Development Economics Study Group meeting of December 6, at the L.S.E., 17 pages, 1992.
  • “Import Substitution and Protection across selected Manufacturing Industries of India: A discussion of the 1973/74 to 1979/80 period”, poster session Indian Econometric Society 27th Annual Conference, Aligarh, India, January, 31 pages, 1990.
  • “Industrial Policy and the Ideal Infant”, Eastern Economic Association’s Annual Meetings, Washington D.C., March 5-7, 11 pages, 1987.
  • “India’s experience with her inward-oriented development strategy”, Association of Indian Economic Studies’ Annual Meetings, held in conjunction with the American Economic Association’s Annual Meetings, New Orleans, December 28-30, 28 pages, 1986.

Editorial responsibilities:

  • Founding Editor – Briefing Notes in Economics, since 1992.
  • Bulletin of Statistics and Economics, since 2008.
  • Associate Editor – The International Journal Economics Education and Development, original affiliation since 2008.
  • Editor-in-Chief – International Journal of Social and Economic Research, since 2015.
  • Associate Editor – International Journal of Happiness & Development, since 2013.

Book and paper reviews appear is:

  • Applied Economics.
  • Briefing Notes in Economics.
  • Canadian Journal of Development Studies.
  • Economic Journal.
  • European Urban and Regional Studies.
  • Global Business and Economics Review.
  • Global Social Responsibility.
  • Journal of Developing Areas.
  • Progress in Development Studies.

Professional memberships:

  • American Economics Association. Member, since 1987.
  • Royal Economic Society. Member, since 1984.
  • Indian Econometrics Society. Member, since 1990.

Funded invitations at international conferences and other events:

  • Annual World Bank Conference on Development within Latin America and the Caribbean (ABCD-LAC), June 11-14, 1995, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Conference participant.
  • Symposium on Employment Creation in a Global Economy, International Labour Organisation, Institute of International Relations, UWI, Trinidad, October 20, 1994. Conference participant.
  • Summit of The Americas Preparatory Meeting On Micro-enterprise and Small Business Financing and Development; Ministry of Trade and Industry, Port of Spain, Trinidad, November 1-2, 1994. Conference participant.
  • Conference on International Narco-trafficking and The Security of Caribbean States, Institute of International Relations, UWI, Trinidad, January 19-21, 1995. Conference participant.
  • Data Development and Information Management in Developing Economies, Central Bank, Trinidad, July 10-13, 1995. Conference participant.
  • University-Industry Cooperation in the Caribbean, Continuing Education in Engineering Centre, Faculty of Engineering, UWI, Trinidad, September 26-27, 1995. Conference participant.
  • Workshop on Resource-based Teaching, Institute of Social and Economic Research, UWI, Trinidad, September 21-23, 1995. Conference participant.
  • Workshop on Anticipating the Demand for Economists in the Caribbean in the 21st Century, Department of Economics, UWI, Trinidad, October 9-10, 1995. Conference participant.
  • Research Review Seminar, Economic Research Department, Central Bank, Trinidad, October 12-13, 1995. Conference participant.
  • Workshop on Problems involving Health Data and Hospital Costs, Health Economics Unit, UWI, Trinidad, December 1-2, 1995. Conference participant.
  • Workshop on Liquidity Management in the Caribbean, Caribbean Centre for Monetary Studies, UWI, Trinidad, May 3, 1996. Conference participant.
  • ESRC’s Development Economics Conference on the Labour in the Development Process, LSE, June 20, 1997. Conference participant.
  • ESRC’s Development Economics Conference on The Role of the Public Sector, International Development Centre, University of Reading, July 11-12, 1997. Discussant to paper on Migration in Egypt by Professor McCormick and Dr Wahba of the Department of Economics at Southampton University.
  • ESRC’s Finance and Development Conference, University of Birmingham, September 7-8, 1997. Session Chair. Organiser: Dr Victor Murinde, Department of Economics, University of Birmingham. Conference participant.
  • Workshop on Evaluation in Higher Education provided by the Quality in Higher Education arm of the Open University, December 11, 1997. Conference participant.
  • ESRC Development Economics Conference on Is Africa different from Asia?, University of Reading, July 10-11, 1998. Organiser: Professor Thirtle of Reading’s Department of Agricultural Economics. Conference participant.
  • 25th Anniversary Conference: The International University – Local and Global Roles, April 3-5, 1998. Conference participant.
  • London Group on the Brazilian Economy, paper by Dr Jorge Arbache (University of Kent and Brasilia) on ‘Labour markets: impact of liberalization and reforms’. October 30, 1998. Invited by speaker and Brazilian Embassy official. Conference participant.
  • Workshop on Women in Informal Employment – Globalizing & Organizing (WIEGO), sponsored by the International Development Research Council (IDRC) and the Harvard International Institute for Development (HIID), April 12-14, 1999, Ottawa, Canada. Invited by Professor Chen of Harvard’s JFK School of Government. Conference participant.
  • ESRC Development Economics Conference on Development Economics for the New Millennium, University of Reading, July 9-10, 1999. Session Chair. Organised by: Professor Thritle of Reading’s Department of Agricultural Economics.
  • Development Studies Association Workshop on 50 Years of Development Economics, Overseas Development Institute, July 2003. Conference participant.
  • Department of Economics, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, USA, July-August 2000: Academic Visitor.
  • Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics, India, May and June 1999. Conducting fieldwork in Delhi on informal markets. Led a group of postgraduate researchers.
  • Central Statistical Office, Port-of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, June-July 1996: Shadowing progress on the then current round of the Continuous Sample Survey of the Population. Academic observer.
  • Department of Economics, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, USA, March 1992: Delivering paper on ongoing research on informal markets.
  • Delhi School of Economics, Delhi, India, December 1989 to January 1990: Conducting fieldwork in Delhi on informal markets; paper at the Indian Econometric Society’s annual conference; other research at ICRIER; meetings with staff and students at the Delhi School of Economics; meetings at the Planning Ministry with Chief Planning Officer (the late Professor Sukhamoy Chakravarty).

Miscellaneous:
Previously:

  • External Examiner for MSc and MBA programmes at ESE/University of Buckingham partnership.
  • Past External Examiner in Economics at Vesalius College, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).
  • Past Research Associate at STICERD – London School of Economics, UK, October 1996-September 1997.
  • Research mentor and occasional lecturer for undergraduate and master’s level students at London Metropolitan, Liverpool and Leicester Universities, October 2003 – June 2006.
  • External Examiner for BA programmes at SIU/University of Roehampton partnership.

Currently:

  • External Examiner for BA (Hons) in Business at ESCP School of Business
  • External Examiner for MSc in Development Economics at University of Bradford
  • Chair of the Wellbeing Research Centre at Richmond University (www.wellbeingcreates.org)