School of Economics and Business Administration Master’s Student Jiahao Zhu’s Thesis Wins First Prize in Latvijas Banka Student Research Paper Competition

The master’s thesis of Jiahao Zhu, a student in the Quantitative Economics master’s programme at the University of Tartu School of Economics and Business Administration, titled “Roheüleminek Eesti ettevõtetes ja selle mõju ettevõtete tegevusedukusele” (“Estonian Firms’ Green Transition And Its Effects On Firm Performance”), won first prize in the student research paper competition organised by Latvijas Banka.

The thesis examined the green transition of Estonian firms and its impact on firm performance. Using Estonian firm-level registry data and microeconometric estimation methods, the thesis showed that imports of environmental goods, used as a proxy for green transition-related activities, increase firms’ productivity. Read more about the thesis here.

At the same time, the thesis highlighted that the green transition of upstream firms in supply and value chains may reduce the productivity of downstream firms in the short term. However, this negative spillover effect diminishes as firms adapt.

Jiahao Zhu’s master’s thesis was completed as part of the project “The Meaning and Impact of the Green Transition for Estonian Companies”.

The Latvijas Banka student research paper competition was open to bachelor’s and master’s students from higher education institutions in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, as well as students from the Baltic states studying abroad. The competition recognises outstanding student research papers in the field of economics.

Congratulations to Jiahao Zhu and his supervisors!