| Working Group for Management and Economics | |
| Director:
Frank Giarratani Center for Industry Studies
Department of Economics University of Pittsburgh
TEL: (412) 648-1741
Email: frankg+@pitt.edu |
Currently affiliated
faculty members:
Patricia Beeson (University of Pittsburgh) Gene Gruver (University of Pittsburgh) Rick Tannery (Slippery Rock University) |
| This research program has focused primarily on the competitive dynamics of steel markets and the management strategies that have helped firms succeed in those markets. Empirical research in the program has been supported by a comprehensive database that tracks important economic and technical characteristics of steel plants in the United States since the mid-1970s. One of key achievements of our work has been the development and application of a regional ferrous scrap pricing model that predicts prices in a large number of U.S. regions. The model is a major advance over existing alternatives in that it links changes in the supply or demand for ferrous scrap in each region to the price of ferrous scrap in every region, and it does so for two grades of scrap, low and high residual. Our research goals in near term include the further development of this model as part of a comprehensive look at pricing practices in ferrous scrap markets. Additionally, we hope to make our database and analytical capabilities more widely available to firms by use of the World Wide Web. | |
