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Firms' corporate political activities by Irakli Barbakadze (MA in Quantitative Economics)

Irakli Barbakadze is a doctoral candidate in management at the University of Reading (UK) and a research fellow at the University of Cambridge (UK). He graduated from the University of Tartu in 2016. His research interest lies in the intersection between corporate strategy and political economy.

Irakli studies how companies interact with the government through political donations and corporate lobbying and how such political connections affect economic and public policy outcomes. His research is primarily empirical; he uses large-scale firm-level datasets to study the causal relationship. Currently, he is working on lobbying practices in the UK. Studying lobbying and policymaking in the UK has been especially relevant in recent years when the country experienced multiple episodes of high policy uncertainty due to Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and multiple government changes.

Irakli thinks that the University of Tartu is an excellent place for someone who wants to continue their academic career. It provides the opportunity to learn essential quantitative and research skills, which will help later in the career. Also, students have the opportunity to work with great researchers and be connected to the academic world.

Jan 11, 2023 06:00 PM in Helsinki