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Rational Policymaking during a Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Loïc Berger

    (LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221 - UA - Université d'Artois - UCL - Université catholique de Lille - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Nicolas Berger

    (LSHTM - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)

  • Valentina Bosetti

    (Bocconi University [Milan, Italy])

  • Itzhak Gilboa

    (HEC Paris - Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales)

  • Lars Peter Hansen

    (Booth School of Business [Chicago] - University of Chicago)

  • Christopher Jarvis

    (LSHTM - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)

  • Massimo Marinacci

    (Bocconi University [Milan, Italy])

  • Richard A. Smith

    (University of Exeter Medical School - University of Exeter)

Abstract

Policymaking during a pandemic can be extremely challenging. As COVID-19 is a new disease and its global impacts are unprecedented, decisions are taken in a highly uncertain, complex, and rapidly changing environment. In such a context, in which human lives and the economy are at stake, we argue that using ideas and constructs from modern decision theory, even informally, will make policymaking a more responsible and transparent process.

Suggested Citation

  • Loïc Berger & Nicolas Berger & Valentina Bosetti & Itzhak Gilboa & Lars Peter Hansen & Christopher Jarvis & Massimo Marinacci & Richard A. Smith, 2021. "Rational Policymaking during a Pandemic," Post-Print hal-02907328, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02907328
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-02907328v3
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nick Chater, 2020. "Facing up to the uncertainties of COVID-19," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(5), pages 439-439, May.
    2. Manski, Charles F., 2020. "Forming COVID-19 Policy Under Uncertainty," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(3), pages 341-356, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. William Brock & Anastasios Xepapadeas, 2023. "Natural world preservation and infectious diseases: Land-use, climate change and innovation," DEOS Working Papers 2319, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    2. Maximilian Blesch & Philipp Eisenhauer, 2021. "Robust decision-making under risk and ambiguity," Papers 2104.12573, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2021.
    3. Philipp Eisenhauer & Janos Gabler & Lena Janys, 2021. "Structural Models for Policy-Making: Coping with Parametric Uncertainty," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 082, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    4. William Brock & Anastasios Xepapadeas, 2022. "Climate Change, Natural World Preservation and the Emergence and Containment of Infectious Diseases," DEOS Working Papers 2232, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    5. Eisenhauer, Philipp & Gabler, Janos & Janys, Lena, 2021. "Structural Models for Policy-Making: Coping with Parametric Uncertainty," IZA Discussion Papers 14317, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Ceron, Federica & Vergopoulos, Vassili, 2022. "Objective rationality and recursive multiple priors," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    7. William Brock & Anastasios Xepapadeas, 2024. "Land-use, climate change and the emergence of infectious diseases: A synthesis," DEOS Working Papers 2409, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    8. Robin L. Dillon & Vicki M. Bier & Richard Sheffield John & Abdullah Althenayyan, 2023. "Closing the Gap Between Decision Analysis and Policy Analysts Before the Next Pandemic," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 20(2), pages 109-132, June.
    9. Philipp Eisenhauer & Jano's Gabler & Lena Janys & Christopher Walsh, 2021. "Structural models for policy-making: Coping with parametric uncertainty," Papers 2103.01115, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2022.
    10. Maximilian Blesch & Philipp Eisenhauer, 2021. "Robust Decision-Making Under Risk and Ambiguity," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 104, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    11. Greenhalgh, Trisha & Engebretsen, Eivind, 2022. "The science-policy relationship in times of crisis: An urgent call for a pragmatist turn," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    model uncertainty; ambiguity; robustness; decision rules;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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