"This impressive book by Valentino Piana is necessary to clearly understand nowadays macroeconomics and the directions that our science is taking" (prof. Masaru Uzawa, Otaru University of Commerce, Japan).

Macroeconomics is deeply changing thanks to computer. It becomes easier and more realistic, while the process of integration between macroeconomics and other economic disciplines is given a decisive acceleration.

From econometrics to formal models, passing through the revolution in teaching and learning techniques, this book offers an up-to-date overview of what is happening.

Particularly interesting are comments and guidelines for computer simulation, some of which you can find here.

Economists, students and everybody interested in the World economy find here 300 selected Internet addresses that will be directly useful for information, scientific articles and dissertations.

The complex relationships between science and technology: the case of macroeconomics and computer

A pluralistic view of science - New technologies may help fluid ideas to materialise - We do not believe in technological determinism - Some recent trends in macroeconomics - Instances of computer use

Part I
From well-established fields of computer use to experimental areas

Econometrics

Econometrics comprehends a group of techniques which are computing-intensive and are currently performed using computers - Some 21 aims of econometrics - Problems and criticisms - Computer is not limited to be a neutral instrument - A plea for large and disaggregated databases

Teaching and learning

Textbooks and hypertexts - Long reasoning is the typical rosary of our students - More critical students - Passive students - A large variety of programs dedicated to macroeconomics - An attempt to classify and comment them - Lab-oriented mentality - Even when the "chalk and talk" approach dominates, computer may discretely serve the lecturer

Formal models in the '90s

Computable General Equilibrium models - Real Business Cycle models - Taylor and Hall - Robin Marris - Evolutionary economics

Computer-suggested concepts

Starting from computer science, we may inflate technological characteristics into a new flow of ideas - Against technological determinism - Computer is a discrete and finite machine - Computer can store, change, and retrieve an enormous amount of data - Simplicity is a dynamic requirement - Successive versions of the same intellectual object

Part II
Exploring the Internet

Possibilities and problems opened up by Internet

Internet is a large and differentiated region where economists can find a vast amount of useful material - Internet abates entry barriers and production costs affecting the supply side of the information market, while opening problems of copyright and credibility - Credibility of information is based not so much on State control but rather on private and social mechanisms - Social and intellectual world are mirrored in Internet, partly faithfully, partly not - To the extent that Internet mirrors the real world, it can be massively searched through, obtaining indirect empirical evidence - Internet is a country where spatial principles still hold - Some examples of exploitation

Conclusion

Appendix - WWW sites of interest

International and regional organisations - Central banks - Statistical central offices - Governmental bodies - Specialised media - Full-text economic journals - Full-text books about macroeconomics - On-line university courses of macroeconomics - Abstract libraries - Research and policy centres - Macroeconomic models - Free software to download - Databases - Big sites - Polish ministries - Financial Polish sites - Financial and Business sites