title: Models of welfare state and their impact on economic growth
reg no: ETF5166
project type: Estonian Science Foundation research grant
subject: 5.1. Economics
status: completed
institution: Tallinn Technical University
head of project: Alari Purju
duration: 01.01.2002 - 31.12.2004
description: Goals and expected results of the project
Main goals of the research project are following:
1. To give an overview of the welfare state model on the basis of small Scandinavian states. Main interest is related on those proceedings which are dedicated to analysis of direct and indirect impact of taxes and other expenditures used to finance social benefits on economic growth.
2. Comparative evaluation based on methodical recommendations of international organisations (Eurostat etc.) of costs related to pensions, healthcare and labor market risks taking into account differences due to applied systems.
3. Working out a model of economic growth which takes into account expenditures of welfare state. Application of that model for forecasting Estonian economic growth.
Main results of the project will be next:
1. Overview of an international discussion on perspectives, problems and different possible models of welfare state.
2. Data set for international comparisons with different countries which takes into account systematic differences in financing social benefits.
3. Analysis of connections between social expenditures and economic growth. Forecasts of Estonian economic growth which take into account different possible developments of welfare state in Estonia.

Results of the research project will be presented at scientific seminars and published as articles in international journals. A monography based on final report will be published.

project group
no name institution position  
1.Jelena MatinaTallinn Technical Universityresearch associate 
2.Alari PurjuTTU Faculty of Economics and Business Administrationprofessor